House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms

In the tent bearing House Targaryen’s sigil.

Daemon could be seen putting on his trousers while looking at the two naked women in the bed. He showed a smile and dressed calmly. However, when he tried to put on his shirt, he found that his right arm wouldn’t move and remembered that he only had one arm.

His smile vanished and he showed a cold expression full of resentment. Others couldn’t know it, but he knew about the whispers and the things they said about him behind his back.

Everyone said he was no longer dangerous; a one-armed man wasn’t even worthy of being called a knight. If it weren’t for the dragon, he would be just another useless man. Daemon would show them, would show everyone who the real danger was.

Suddenly, a soldier rushed into the tent.

"My Prince, the Queen has arrived riding Silverwing." The soldier caught his breath and spoke in a hurried tone.

Daemon’s expression grew even colder. If there was anyone he wanted to see dead, it was Alysanne.

The queen had forced him to marry the bronze pig in the Vale. That cursed day was the first time Daemon had felt so small and insignificant, as if he could be nothing more than a puppet in Alysanne’s hands.

"What brought her to Harrenhal?" Daemon asked in a tone that sent chills through the poor soldier. He shuddered before the prince’s murderous gaze and lowered his head, not daring to look at Daemon again.

With his head lowered, the soldier answered in a slightly trembling tone, "We don’t know, but something probably happened at Harrenhal; the castle’s Maester was seen climbing, with the help of some soldiers, up Kingspyre Tower."

"Did Gael fall ill?" Daemon asked, though it wasn’t a question for the guard but for himself. He stepped out of the tent and looked toward Harrenhal with a thoughtful expression. Gael had always had fragile health, especially as a child.

"That’s good; it will keep her occupied for a while." Daemon murmured with a smile. Just as Roderick was thinking of killing Matthos to incriminate someone, Daemon was thinking of doing the very same thing.

Daemon wanted to tarnish Maekar’s reputation, but he wanted him to be in Harrenhal to do something like that, since the blame for Matthos’s death could fall on Gael, accusing her of being incompetent for not even being able to protect the castle.

The Rogue Prince didn’t want that; he wanted Maekar to bear the blame.

However, Daemon’s opportunity came four days later.

That day, a gigantic platinum dragon with gold-edged scales roared majestically and flew over where the armies of the three factions were camped. The giant dragon flew low to the ground, stirring fierce winds wherever its majestic, powerful body passed.

Seated in the saddle on the dragon, Maekar, his hair fluttering in the wind, looked at the sea of men below and thought that things were truly amusing in Harrenhal. Everyone was showing off their own strength as though they were peacocks trying to attract a mate.

It made him realize the world was still quite simple; whoever had the bigger fist won over the greater number of people. Simple, easy, and uncomplicated.

Mara also looked at the sea of men below her and couldn’t help but think it was the largest number of people she had ever seen in her life, far surpassing any banquet she had ever held in Sunspear.

Moving her gaze from the armies to the castle, Mara had seen the castle from a distance as they approached, but seeing it up close was entirely different. Was Harren the Black truly insane or a genius for building such a monstrosity?

If it hadn’t been for Aegon, riding Balerion, perhaps this majestic castle would never have actually lost a battle. Yet before a dragon’s flames, the castle melted like metal under fire, and everyone inside was cooked alive.

What should have been House Hoare’s greatest protection became its own tomb.

The mighty House Hoare thus vanished from existence.

Of the three, Clarisse’s thoughts were the simplest; she merely found the castle excessively large. The idea of living in such a castle left her rather unhappy.

Bahamut approached the castle entrance and landed on the ground with a heavy thud. The dragon’s neck turned to the side, and he stared at Silverwing, sleeping not far away.

The silver dragon didn’t even wake and seemed to ignore Bahamut entirely.

Maekar noticed Silverwing and knew that Alysanne already knew about Gael’s pregnancy and had come riding her dragon to Harrenhal.

Shaking his head, Maekar undid the safety belt and turned his body, gripping the chains and ropes, and began to climb down. Mara and Clarisse mirrored his movements and quickly descended from the dragon, both women letting out a relieved sigh.

Though there had been a few stops before reaching Harrenhal, since the dragon couldn’t fly twenty-four hours a day for four days straight, Mara and Clarisse still felt enormous relief at touching the ground again.

Removing his gloves, Maekar heard the castle gates open and saw two middle-aged men approaching with about fifteen men, all heavily armed from head to toe.

Maekar naturally recognized his uncle and Lord Darry, both staunch supporters of his in this Great Council.

"Welcome to Harrenhal, my prince." Roderick and Darnold, along with all the guards, knelt before Maekar and spoke at the same time. Their voices rang out loud and powerful. They acted formally before every watching eye, observing from a distance.

"Rise, there’s no need to be so formal." Maekar said with a gentle laugh and helped his uncle and Lord Darry to their feet.

"Did the journey go well, Maekar?" Roderick asked, glancing discreetly at Mara and Clarisse behind Maekar. He couldn’t help but give his nephew a strange look. He could hardly believe Maekar had dared to bring lovers from Dorne to Harrenhal with his own pregnant bride here.

Under his uncle’s gaze, Maekar simply rolled his eyes. Roderick’s thoughts were written plainly across his forehead. Still, considering Mara’s and Clarisse’s appearances, it wasn’t truly unreasonable to assume he’d brought two lovers from Dorne.

"These are Lady Dayne, Lady of Starfall and Head of House Dayne, as well as this generation’s Sword of the Morning; and Princess Mara, Princess of Dorne and Sunspear." Maekar introduced them both in a calm tone.

Roderick looked at Mara and Clarisse, surprised. He stepped forward and spoke in a cordial tone. "Welcome to Harrenhal. I will have your chambers cleaned and properly secured."

"Thank you, Lord Blackwood," Mara said with a smile while looking at Roderick with a touch of curiosity. She was truly curious about the man who had raised and taught Maekar.

"You have my thanks, Lord Blackwood." Clarisse said in a solemn, serious tone, keeping an upright posture, ready to react to any sign of danger.

"Let’s talk later; I want to see Gael." Maekar, who had already been eager to see Gael as soon as possible, spoke up at that moment. He didn’t wait for the others and went into the castle alone.

Roderick and Darnold exchanged a glance and saw the teasing look in each other’s eyes. It was the first time they had ever seen Maekar show an expression like that; it was almost amusing to see him so on edge.

Everyone made their way into the castle. Bahamut looked at Silverwing once more and lay down on the opposite side from the silver dragon. At that moment, the two dragons served as guardians of the gate in the walls.

Back in Gael’s chambers, the princess and the queen could be seen embroidering what looked like baby shoes, black in color with small red dragons embroidered into the fabric.

"Gael, you should embroider some larger ones too; babies grow fast." Alysanne said with a smile. She had done this with all her daughters and wouldn’t miss this mother-daughter moment for anything in the world.

Gael nodded. Over these four days, her mother had taught her many things for the baby’s safety and her own. She listened to everything with great seriousness. Her mother was a very experienced woman, having been a mother to thirteen children.

Suddenly, the door opened, and startled by the abrupt noise, Gael looked up. Her eyes went wide when she saw Maekar’s familiar figure appear before her.

"Maekar!" Setting aside the thread and needles, Gael ran toward Maekar and practically leapt onto him.

Maekar caught the woman in midair and held her tightly, kissing her fervently. Both began kissing as though they were the only two people in the world.

After a while, the kiss ended and they looked at each other in silence.

"I came as fast as I could the moment I got the news." He said, gently touching Gael’s belly, which made Gael’s eyes narrow with a happy look.

"You got here fast, Maekar." Alysanne approached the couple and spoke in a gentle tone.

"I wish I’d gotten here faster." Maekar said with a smile, looking at his grandmother.

Looking at her grandson, Alysanne said, "I’ve already prepared everything for the wedding; we were just waiting for your arrival."

"Speaking of which, I want an elder summoned from Dragonstone; Gael and I are going to marry by Valyrian customs." Maekar said at that moment, finally remembering when Alysanne had spoken about the wedding.

Alysanne was surprised; not just her, many others seemed surprised as well. Only Gael showed a smile; she already knew about this, since it had been her own request.

"It may take a few weeks," Alysanne said in a thoughtful tone. She wasn’t opposed to the idea of a Valyrian wedding, since it would be a more intimate ceremony, with only friends, relatives, and allies present.

After all, anyone could see that Gael and Maekar were marrying far too quickly, and there was only one reason for such a thing to happen: an unexpected pregnancy before the wedding.

-----

Read the advanced Chapters on my Patreon!

/GOTSW

Read my other books:

House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms

Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos

Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.

Game Of Thrones: The King’s Court Wizard