NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Midday Meal
King's Landing
Mc POV
As the maid and I made our way to the dining room, we encountered numerous lords and ladies of the realm. Nearly all of them bowed and greeted me, indicating that news of my identity had spread, even though they do not understand High Valyrian. My introduction was not in High Valyrian, which explains their gestures. Aligning with a Dragonlord, whether they hold land or not, is seen as a beneficial venture.
Upon reaching a room guarded by the King's guard, the maid who opened the door for me quickly departed. As I entered, the King's guard glanced at my sword with caution but did not ask me to keep it out. They knew from the throne room that I could be dangerous even without my weapon, and now I am a guest, as their king had previously declared. I took a seat in an empty chair between Corlys and Viserys, and the first thing I did was to survey all those present in the room.
All the Targaryens are here, including Aemma, whose belly bulge seems to confirm my earlier speculation. She appears to be a month or two away from giving birth, judging by the discomfort on her face while sitting in the chair. Rhaenyra is seated next to her mother, with Daemon beside her. It looks like Corlys has sent a letter to Rhaenys, or perhaps she was scheduled to come to the capital today, as she is sitting there, looking at me as if I'm a puzzle for her to solve. At least I'm being observed by a beauty rather than some fellow. She and the Velaryons have their looks from the book rather than show as she has black hair and blue eyes, while Corlys is a typical Valyrian. It's a pity; I would have loved to see a dark-skinned Laena Velaryon. Well, you win some, you lose some. Speaking of Laena, neither she nor her brother is present here.
"You may be unfamiliar with the new faces here. If I recall correctly, we've never formally introduced ourselves in court. Let's remedy that, shall we? I am Viserys Targaryen, King of the Seven Kingdoms. Beside me sits my beloved wife, Aemma Targaryen. To Aemma's right is our sole child, Rhaenyra Targaryen, 'Realm's Delight.' Next to Rhaenyra, you already know Daemon, my brother. Beside you is Lord Corlys Velaryon, 'Seasnake.' And with him, his wife and my cousin, Rhaenys Targaryen." Viserys's boisterous and jolly voice echoed through the room as he joyfully introduced everyone to me, not waiting for others' consent.
Daemon's expression clearly showed his displeasure. Rhaenyra appeared slightly flushed when her father announced the title, while Aemma maintained a kind smile throughout. Lord Corlys nodded at me when our eyes met, and I returned the gesture. Rhaenys let out an exasperated sigh as Viserys introduced her with glee, yet a small smile was visible on her face. When our eyes met, she nodded at me, which I reciprocated.
Following their introduction, it would have been impolite not to reciprocate, so I introduced myself to those who were unfamiliar with me. On the same day, I found myself making introductions again, opting for brevity this time. Once the introductions were complete, we began to eat; the meal had been served during our conversation, leading to a silent dining experience.
The silence was shattered by Viserys, who began inquiring about Valyria. "What was it like living there?" he asked, curious about life under a sky teeming with dragons. I responded to his question with a polite smile. As I provided more answers, his fervor grew, and his questions became more frequent. Just as his interrogation was becoming bothersome and I was about to silence him, Aemma stepped in and scolded him for interrupting my meal. He ceased his babbling and returned to his meal with an embarrassed chuckle.
After our meal ended. They led me to another side of the room it looks like living room where all type of comfortable sitting is available. After comfortably sitting on the chair wine is provided to me. And just as Viserys was about open his mouth. Vezofina snooped in and landed on my shoulders. Seeing her all their expressions became of awe. After giving her fruits from the table, she started to nibble on it. Although she eats ash and rare herbs that doesn't mean she didn't eat any other things. But her preference is that.
"Where did you find it, Lord Drakonar? The bird, I mean. I've never seen anything like it on my voyages," Corlys inquired, gazing at Vezofina. Of course, he hadn't seen it; this world harbors no phoenixes. And he has given me the perfect opportunity to boast about it.
"I created her with help from magic," I explained. "Her name is Vezofina, a phoenix as mystical as dragons, with the power to control fire." As I ran my hand through her feathers, the onlookers gazed at Vezofina with renewed awe. When all eyes turned to her, Vezofina met their stares, then casually took an apple and began to eat it while perched on my lap, eliciting laughter from the crowd at her antics.
"Though she possesses many talents, her voice is what I cherish most. Would you all want to hear it?" I posed the question because Vezofina's song has a healing effect on others and myself, though not to the extent it does on me. It could alleviate Aemma's discomfort, evident as she fidgets in her seat and grips Viserys's hand. While I don't fancy myself a hero, the least I can do for a woman is to lessen her pain with Vezofina's melodious voice.
After receiving approval from everyone, I asked Vezofina to sing. She finished the apple she was eating, then perched on my shoulder and began her song. It lasted only a few minutes, but it was enough to entrance Targaryen and Velaryon. Their postures relaxed, smiles appeared on their faces, and even Daemon had a slight smile.
They began to commend Vezofina, and upon learning of her preferences from me, the ladies tempted her with various foods. They summoned maids to fetch ash and herbs from the maester's solar. As her favored foods materialized before her, she approached them warily. Realizing they meant no harm, she permitted them to caress her feathers. Aemma was the most devoted, providing her with considerable comfort. It appears I have underestimated the healing power of her song, as Aemma's condition has significantly improved. Perhaps my dragon-like constitution is resistant to the effects of her song, even when intended to aid me. This warrants further investigation.
As I pondered, Daemon spoke for the first time since our meeting, "So we should presume that the Dragons at Volantis belong to your family, Lord Drakonar." I had to compose my features with the aid of Occlumency. The existence of Dragons at Volantis was new information to me. Instantly, my mind concluded that I would face many hardships in this life, and my knowledge of the timeline from the show and books might not be of much assistance.
"What are you talking about? After all I'm the only one that has survived in my family. And when I visited Volantis last time. I didn't see any Dragons there." I replied. As I fake the look of confusion on my face. Hearing my reply Corlys and Viserys face became grim. It seems they assumed that Dragons in Volantis is mine.
"It appears our prior conclusion was incorrect. We presumed that Dragon riders hailed from your lineages. If they do not, then there exist three Dragon lord families in this world, and we are ignorant of one," stated Viserys, his face etched with concern. ROB mentioned he would make minor alterations; if this is deemed minor, I dread to think what he considers major.
"What about their dragons? How many do they have? Do you know the name of their family? They could be allies of my family from Freehold," I inquired. If they are one of our vassal families, that would greatly aid me in building my empire. If not, the situation is dire, as I have learned that dragons in this world possess extremely tough hides and are more resistant to magic than those in the HP world. This means I might not be able to kill them. But slaying them won't be as easy as my former self believed. Due to their tough hide and magic-resistant skin, it would require a significant amount of magic. I have yet to test more spells on Anarion, as he becomes quite irritated when spells strike him, and I can feel his seething anger through our bond.
It appears that the dragons of this realm are averse to magic attacks. Could this be the cause of Sheep Stealer's fury? We may never find out. However, this would affect my situation, as magic is the most potent weapon I possess. If this new family have ancient dragons, they could pose a problem if they are hostile. But I have already considered this issue and devised a partial solution. One such strategy is the "Blood Flame Mode," which I believe could neutralize the dragons' magic, as it stems from my own bloodline that is intertwined with that of the dragons of this world.
The second solution for a magic-resistant hide is straightforward: make Anarion so powerful that no dragon can challenge him. Considering the numerous rituals I have in mind, I can now procure ingredients from anywhere. Apparition will be immensely useful, as once I visit a place, I can return there anytime. My intention is to populate my Dimension with an abundance of magical herbs and ingredients.
"Three have been spotted so far in the Volantis sky, but there may be more; the previous moon revealed only one. We have now received reports of two additional sightings, none smaller than the black one. The largest dragon discovered to date is black and red, so immense that it eclipses the sun over Volantis in flight. The other, green and gold, is marginally smaller," relayed Viserys, sharing all he knows about the dragons.
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