Chapter 105: Chapter 96: Draezell's Decision
Vhagar soared into the sky. Aemond glanced around before spotting Aegon, who was already decisive. Realizing that he couldn't save Sunfyre, Aegon quickly undid the straps of his dragon saddle. Just as the giant dragon was about to crash, he leapt off, and Sunfyre—remarkably—held on, despite the Red Queen's tight grip on its neck. When Meleys neck was torn off by Vhagar, Sunfyre, with the Red Queen's head still in its jaws, adjusted its position, creating a buffer for Aegon. This gave Aegon a safer landing, as he rolled and scrambled to avoid being crushed by the dragons. Even with the protection of his armor, Aegon groaned, clutching his knee, his exposed skin covered in blood and mud.
"Aemond, you owe me a dragon!" Aegon cursed loudly as he squirmed on the ground, his words cut short when Criston Cole charged forward and scooped him onto his horse.
"Your Grace, we need to retreat quickly. If the Black Party's dragons arrive, we're finished."
"Run?" Aegon shouted angrily. "Sunfyre is gone!"
"But Your Grace is still here, and that's enough," Larys added, arriving with the Kingsguard and a group of armored cavalry. "Sir Criston, His Majesty needs to leave with us." Larys nodded to Ser Marston Waters, who dismounted and handed his horse to Aegon, helping the injured king onto it and securing the straps.
"Larys, where are you taking me?"
"Your Grace, according to our previous plan," Larys replied. "Prince Aemond and Ser Criston have started the war, and the Black Party's focus is on them. Now is our chance to move. We must hurry."
Aegon glared at the site where the dragons had fallen, then followed Larys' cavalry into the forest, while Criston led his loyal cavalry in another direction. Vhagar, without hesitation, flapped its wings and quickly disappeared into the clouds above.
Lord Simon Stauton had finally managed to secure the collapsed castle walls and dared to lead a dozen riders to inspect the dragon crash site.
The flames were slowly dying down, leaving behind two massive bodies. The Red Queen's head had been severed from her body, and the Red Dragon bore massive wounds from Vhagar's attack. Even now, the Red Queen remained clamped onto Sunfyre's neck. The Golden Dragon's neck was torn open, a gaping wound deep enough to expose the bone. This was why Lord Stauton saw that Sunfyre's head was nearly severed. Half of its wing had been shredded, and its chest and belly were torn open by the Red Queen's assault. Despite this, Sunfyre's body still trembled slightly, and Stauton could see the dragon's mouth still breathing hot air.
At that moment, a thunderous roar came from the north.
"By the Seven Hells, run!" Stauton immediately turned his horse to flee back to the castle, but his sworn knight grabbed the reins. "My lord, it's a golden dragon."
"Seven Gods protect us, it's Vermithor!" Stauton turned his horse back around, a look of relief washing over him as he dismounted. "Prince Draezell has finally returned."
"Lord Simon, what happened while I was heading north with young Jeyne?" Draezell's voice rang out as he landed smoothly next to the dragon crash site. "Why hasn't the Queen called upon the dragonriders to hunt down Vhagar?" Draezell finished his question just as he saw the two massive dragons still entwined together.
"Grandmother!" Before Vermax had even landed, Jacaerys jumped from the dragon's back, but Vhagar's tail blocked him. The dragon extended its neck, pushed aside the Red Queen's corpse, and bit down on Sunfyre's head, tearing it off with a single forceful bite.
Once that was done, Vermax let Jacaerys go. Draezell watched as Jacaerys, his eyes red, searched the dragon's remains, but the only thing he found was a brooch with a design of three dragons intertwined with a seahorse.
Draezell sat in his saddle and signaled for Vermithor to lower his head, bringing himself closer to Lord Simon Stauton. "Tell me, Lord Stauton, what has the Queen been doing these past few weeks? Why didn't she write to summon us south? Why is there a dragon battle here? Why did she leave Princess Rhaenys to fall into a trap?"
"Your Highness, the Queen went to Shipbreaker Bay to recover the body of Prince Lucerys. She also planned to contact your brother and arrange the engagement of Prince Joffrey and Princess Rhaenyra. We were ambushed by Vhagar and Sunfyre. Princess Rhaenys bravely died saving us, but she also struck down the usurper's dragon and the usurper himself."
"Did she not realize that from the moment Lucerys was killed, this became a war?" Draezell furrowed his brow, rubbing the handguard of his saddle. "The letters we received came from Harrenhal and Storm's End, not Dragonstone? Supporting her doesn't mean I will take responsibility for all her actions."
"Your Highness, this is his majesty will," Lord Stauton said cautiously, not daring to anger Draezell or speak against the Queen. "The Queen has not yet returned to Dragonstone. Currently, the realm is ruled by the Queen's Hand, Lord Corlys."
"Very well, very well," Draezell said with a bitter smile, shaking his head. "And the usurper? Have you found his body?"
"Your Highness, we suspect the usurper has perished like our brave Princess Rhaenys, consumed by flames," Lord Stauton replied cautiously. "From that height, it's hard to believe the usurper could have survived."
"Just because you didn't see the body doesn't mean he's dead," Draezell replied, just as the hiss of a dragon's roar echoed through the air. A massive serpent-like figure emerged from the clouds, landing beside Vermithor. Prince Daemon shook his head at Draezell. "We haven't found Vhagar. They fled too quickly."
"I see." Draezell sighed deeply. "Jacaerys, cousin Daemon, we're heading to Dragonstone." Jacaerys rubbed his face hard, trying to steady his expression before carefully tucking his grandmother's brooch into his shirt and climbing onto his dragon.
"Lord Stauton, take care of the Red Queen's body," Prince Daemon instructed. After Stauton gave his assurance, the two dragons flew off toward Dragonstone.
---
"I sent my wife to her death," the Sea Snake muttered, slumping in his seat. His face was unreadable, but the pain and regret were clear in his vacant gaze.
Draezell sat across from Lord Corlys. "Has the Queen still not returned?"
Ser Robert Cans nodded, and Jacaerys gently patted Joffrey's head before sitting in Rhaenyra's place. "Everyone, I should be able to speak on behalf of my mother."
"You are the heir to the Iron Throne, you naturally have this right," Lord Bartimoa said respectfully. He had long advocated for immediately gathering the dragonriders to attack the Greens, but both Daemon and Rhaenyra had initially opposed him, and no one knew what Draezell's stance was.
"War has already begun," Draezell said. "The moment Lucerys died at Aemond's hands, the war began. And you're still waiting for us to gather allies? The Greens didn't give us that time. It's been just a few weeks, and we've lost two dragons, including an adult dragon. Do you really think my vermithor will intimidate the Greens and make them hand over the crown?"
"Draezell, don't be angry. No matter what, we are bound to win," Daemon sighed. If it had been twenty years ago, he would have been just as furious, let alone Draezell, who had been cut off from the main forces for several weeks in the Vale and the North. The lack of communication was indeed a big issue. Draezell didn't learn that Daemon wasn't at Harrenhal until he arrived there. After flying to Pinkmaiden, he finally met Daemon. The three dragons flew back to Dragonstone together, passing by Rook's' Rest, where they noticed the dragon battle. But not only had Vhagar disappeared, even Criston had vanished. In the woods, only a few hundred soldiers from the Crownlands, who had discarded their weapons, remained kneeling and surrendering.
"Whether the usurper is dead or not, his presence here, along with Vhagar's, can only mean one thing," Draezell stood up and thrust his sword, Silver Blood, into the map table, directly pointing at King's Landing, causing both Daemon and Corlys to wince.
"The Greens have abandoned King's Landing. They intend to open multiple fronts to diminish our advantage. Cousin Daemon, let's hunt down Vhagar. Jacaerys will hold the Dragon's Nest, along with Rey, to defend the East. Valar will handle the southern front. Since they want a fight, we'll show them just how wrong they are."
"I agree with Prince Draezell's plan," Jacaerys readily agreed, naturally siding with his knight's choice. Lord Bartimos, a staunch supporter of dragon battles, was the second to agree, followed by the Sea Snake, who had regained his focus.
"Your Highness, please avenge my wife."
Just then, the sound of two dragons roars echoed from outside.
Queen Rhaenyra had finally returned. She dismounted from her dragon, looking exhausted. Sir Steffon Darklyn, her Queen's Guard captain, was there to greet her, with Valar following behind her, looking constipated as he had just seen Vermithor resting in Dragonmount. He knew exactly what had happened.
"Your Majesty, Prince Draezell and Prince Jacaerys have returned," Sir Steffon Darklyn said quietly. Queen Rhaenyra's eyes lit up. "That's good news. We can gather immediately and teach my traitorous brother a lesson."
"False King and the kinslayer ambushed Rook's Rest. Princess Rhaenys sacrificed herself heroically while trying to help, along with her dragon, Meleys."
"What did you say?" Queen Rhaenyra froze, finally realizing what had happened. She stopped in her tracks. It wasn't until that moment that she understood the problem was with her own actions. If she hadn't gone to burn the Stormlands army under the Green banner, it might have been Silverwing and Meleys heading to Rook's' Rest instead. Had her impulsive decision as a mother blindly destroyed her own reason?
"This..." Queen Rhaenyra took a deep breath, almost running up the stairs to the map room. Soon, she was out of breath and leaning against the wall.
She had to steady herself on the railing, moving slowly into the map room.
When Jacaerys saw his mother enter, he stood up. "Mother. Your Majesty."
Seeing her eldest son take her place at the head of the table, Rhaenyra didn't feel anger, but instead gave a reassuring nod before walking slowly to Lord Corlys's side. "Lord Corlys, it was my mistake. I apologize for letting Princess Rhaenys..."
"Your Majesty, what's done is done," Draezell said, nodding to Valar. "Apologies are pointless. We need to act immediately. This is already a war, and only blood and fire can defend your crown." Draezell reiterated his decision.
Queen Rhaenyra nodded without hesitation. "Prince Draezell, your wisdom is the kingdom's greatest treasure. I agree with your plan."
"Your Majesty, we should take King's Landing first," Lord Bartimos suggested, still obsessed with his plan of a dragon assault on King's Landing. "The Iron Throne is the symbol of the kingdom. Once you sit on it, the legitimate king will be you. With Syrax and Tyraxes presence, there's no way the usurper, without Vhagar, can threaten King's Landing."
"Very well, let's do it," Queen Rhaenyra said decisively, more certain than eve