Chapter 49 - 48 - Ambitions, Armies, and Pride (2)
The Narrow Sea, near the Bay of Crabs.
The massive fleet of House Velaryon was crossing the slightly calm sea, while the sails of the warships, bearing the crest of House Velaryon, propelled the vessels forward.
At that moment, Corlys was personally in command of the fleet; he wore light, weathered armor, consisting only of a metal breastplate. No decent sailor would wear heavy armor on a ship. If the ship were to sink, it wouldn’t be the sea that killed you, but the weight of the armor.
"Brother, Prince Daemon was spotted in Maidenpool riding Caraxes," Vaemond Velaryon said in a solemn tone. They could not reach Maidenpool with Daemon stationed there, along with Caraxes and a small, fully equipped army.
"Don’t worry, Vaemond, my wife is riding Meleys at this very moment," Corlys said calmly. However, if Maekar had been present, he would have mocked Corlys’s arrogance.
Even Maekar did not dare say he could kill Daemon and Caraxes. Meleys might be strong and even fight against Vhagar, but she died. Compared to Caraxes, who killed Vhagar, it was an insult to the Blood Wyrm. And though she was considered faster than both Vhagar and Caraxes, her end did not change because of it.
Vaemond was not as optimistic as his brother; Caraxes’s reputation was truly resounding. And though Meleys was fast, she lacked the ferocity of Caraxes.
However, faced with his brother’s calm and deep gaze, Vaemond fell silent; he did not dare say much. Although he was the second son of House Velaryon, any comparison between him and Corlys could hardly be considered a comparison at all.
"We go to Maidenpool," Corlys ordered in a calm tone. His eyes looked toward Harrenhal with a fire never seen before. The idea of his son being king was more tempting than anything else. What was a mere distant risk compared to such a tempting outcome?
Corlys was never a cowardly man, or he would never have made the Nine Great Voyages. He was a man who braved the world’s seas like no one before him. He was arrogant, confident, brave, and a valiant warrior.
Daemon and Caraxes might be terrifying, but the arrogance and ignorance of men had never known limits before.
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The city of Maidenpool, seat of House Mooton.
At that moment, a roar echoed above the city, and a crimson dragon flew as fast as a lightning bolt and landed on the city walls. The dragon twisted its body and walked along the battlements as if it were just another winding path.
Seated in the saddle was none other than Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of Prince Aemon. At this moment, the woman was wearing armor, holding the dragon’s reins with a pair of leather gloves.
Then, a roar came from the other side of the city, and a red dragon with a lean, serpentine body climbed the wall almost like a snake. It had two short horns atop its head, making it resemble a cobra even more.
It was Caraxes, but he was without his rider.
Rhaenys looked calmly at the dragon that once belonged to her father and couldn’t help but think of how she had flown on the dragon with him. It was perhaps the happiest moment of her life. She had been just a little girl in her father’s arms.
However, a dragon is loyal only to its current rider, not to a former rider or even his daughter. So, at this moment, Caraxes was baring his teeth threateningly. He did not advance, but he did not remain still either.
The princess sighed and had Meleys lie down on the wall, which Caraxes took as a sign of submission, letting out a proud, threatening roar before he mimicked Meleys and lay down on the battlements himself.
Rhaenys did not want to engage in combat, not to mention that this was merely posturing from all sides. No dragonrider would truly face another. However, looking toward Castle Mooton, she wondered if Daemon were as controlled.
Rhaenys did not lower her guard and waited patiently. After all, Daemon had disobeyed even the king; who was she compared to the king? Once her husband’s fleet landed, she would be relieved. Otherwise, Caraxes could burn the entire fleet in fifteen minutes.
At the same time, Rhaenys couldn’t help but think about what was happening, all the madness of it. Her uncle had died, but she didn’t feel the happiness she thought she would upon hearing of Baelon’s death; she felt only sadness.
She knew her father loved Baelon more than anyone; he would have given his life for Baelon, and Baelon would have given his life for Aemon. It was a friendship so strong she had never seen anything like it.
Unconsciously, Maekar’s image appeared in Rhaenys’s mind. He looked like her father, though he was more handsome and not as large, but she assumed he was still young and would grow even more.
He was a brilliant, charming teenager, and even she found herself fascinated by the confidence he had in everything and everyone. She compared him to her son, and immediately her son seemed useless, knowing only how to play with dolls with other boys.
However, all the confusion began with his arrival in King’s Landing. The quarrel between the king and queen, the death of the Lord and Heir of House Lannister, and now, the Great Council.
It all happened so fast that she wondered how the world was changing so quickly. But then, she thought it wasn’t that time was passing so fast, but that the world itself was moving too quickly.
"Uncle, you’ve truly given the king great trouble," Rhaenys murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement.
As for the throne, she was not as enthusiastic as her husband. She had already lost once for being a woman and believed she would lose a second time. She had learned that people’s prejudices were like massive mountains. Even if she had a dragon, she could never climb that high.
Even the people might not support her.
Rhaenys knew everyone was ostensibly thinking of her, but she knew few truly cared for her and only sought their own interests. These people wanted her son as king, not her.
Perhaps only Boremund wanted her as queen, but it was just him, a loyal friend of her father’s.
Suddenly, Meleys growled and turned her head. Rhaenys looked at the approaching man with a calm gaze. Unconsciously, her eyes fell on his empty shirt sleeve. Her gaze also fell on his face, where a clean, straight scar could be seen. There were still many bruises on his face.
It was Daemon.
However, looking at Daemon, Rhaenys felt a chill run through her body. If before Daemon had been ambitious, impetuous, and temperamental, as charming as he was explosive,he now seemed somber, cold, and indifferent.
If his danger level had been a 10 before, it was now an 80 or even a 100. Rhaenys felt like prey before Daemon’s eyes. It made her uncomfortable.
"Daemon." Despite her feelings, Rhaenys’s face became impassive.
"Rhaenys." Daemon’s voice was hoarse, with an intrinsic malice that caused discomfort in anyone.
His eyes fell on Meleys; a trace of nostalgia flashed in them. It was the dragon his mother had made him fly countless times. He loved those moments like never before.
It was ironic: Daemon’s dragon had belonged to Rhaenys’s father, and Rhaenys’s dragon had belonged to Daemon’s mother.
Daemon, obviously, hadn’t come to chat and looked toward the horizon, where he saw a fleet of ships approaching rapidly. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Rhaenys with a calm gaze, which would have been somewhat impossible before his duel with Maekar.
"Your husband has arrived, that arrogant social climber," Daemon said with a look of scorn. "He truly thinks his blood will touch the Iron Throne."
"Only a Targaryen should sit on the Iron Throne," Rhaenys said in a calm tone.
"Yes, and your children are not Targaryens," Daemon said with a smile full of malice as he looked at Rhaenys.
The princess did not respond and merely looked at Daemon. She seemed to see a wounded wolf licking its wounds but ready to bite the prey’s neck.
She remained silent, only watching her husband’s fleet reach Maidenpool.
The cold, silent wind softly swayed her and Daemon’s hair.
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House of The Dragon: The Pale Prince
Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos
Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.
Game Of Thrones: The King’s Court Wizard