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

Harrenhal.

"Maekar, are you sure you don’t need me?" Gael asked as she helped Maekar get dressed. Usually a servant did this, but she liked the feeling of dressing her husband. He was the perfect model for that sort of thing.

"I need you here in Harrenhal." Maekar said in a calm tone. "Someone has to stay at the castle for any emergency, further north on the continent."

Although he was at Dragonstone and Daemon at the Stepstones, there was still a risk of an attack through the Neck. White Harbor certainly could not withstand an attack from the Braavosi fleet for long. That was why Gael needed to be in the center of the continent of Westeros, at Harrenhal, so she could move should an emergency arise.

Gael was somewhat reluctant to accept such a thing. It had been a heavy mood ever since she lost her beloved brother, Aemon.

"Maekar, promise me you will stay safe. Not just for me, but for our son," Gael said in an anxious tone. She knew her husband was possibly the most powerful warrior of their time, but that still could not give her a sense of security.

Looking at Gael’s anxious face, Maekar’s calm expression faded. That feeling of someone else being genuinely worried about his safety was truly good.

Cupping Gael’s face, Maekar claimed Gael’s lips in an intense kiss full of confidence. The princess was surprised by the sudden kiss but soon wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with even more intensity, as if wanting to pour all her anxiety and fear into it.

Breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against Gael’s, Maekar spoke in a solemn tone, "Don’t worry, I will come back to you and burn anyone who stands in the way of that happening."

Maekar was not lying when he said that. This war would happen. Braavos would not let the burning of two ships go without consequences. Doing so would make them look as though they feared the Seven Kingdoms. So, this war was inevitable. All that remained was when it would happen.

"Send me a raven if you need help." Gael nodded and said in a soft tone.

Maekar also nodded and smiled. However, he did not plan on asking Gael for help. If Corlys could not even manage to fight a naval battle against Braavos, he could retire and set aside his arrogance.

"Ser Ryam is at the door." Gael looked at the door and whispered to Maekar.

The prince narrowed his eyes and knew that Jaehaerys wanted to speak with him before leaving King’s Landing. Giving a tender kiss to Gael’s soft lips, he smiled confidently at his wife and walked toward the door of the room.

’Rhaenys, if my husband does not come back, I swear I will kill you and your entire family.’ Watching her husband’s back as he walked away, Gael thought with a look full of resentment.

-

On the other side, Maekar saw Ryam, and the Kingsguard merely nodded and walked ahead, apparently guiding the prince.

"I take it the king is quite upset." Maekar said with a smile. Although this war was a hindrance in his eyes, it was good to see the old king busy and full of anger.

Upset? Ryam recalled the king’s cold, dark expression and felt that calling him upset was an understatement. If he could, Princess Rhaenys would already be dead, her head on a spike in front of King’s Landing.

"He seems more... solemn." Ryam replied in a calm tone, making Maekar let out a laugh. Calling Jaehaerys solemn only showed that the king was still furious.

However, Maekar did not continue the conversation; Ryam had already said what he wanted to know. This conversation would be rather interesting.

Almost fifteen minutes later, Ryam, accompanied by Maekar, arrived before the door where the king and queen were staying. There were two other Kingsguard beside the door. Both had cold, solemn expressions, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

Seeing Ryam, both Kingsguard greeted the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and opened the door.

Maekar entered the room and saw Jaehaerys reading beside Alysanne. They looked like an adorable old couple enjoying retirement, if not for the fact that this couple were wearing crowns.

Ryam stepped away from Maekar and stood behind Jaehaerys and Alysanne, like a statue.

"Maekar, I will be direct." Jaehaerys lifted his eyes from the book he was reading and spoke in a cold tone. "You can fight the Faceless Men; that will be one of the weapons we can use against the Sealord of Braavos."

When Maekar heard those words, he understood what Jaehaerys wanted to do.

In 54 AC, Lady Elissa Farman stole three dragon eggs from the hatcheries of Dragonstone and fled with them to Pentos, from where she traveled on to Braavos. In Braavos, Elissa sold the eggs to the Sealord and used the gold to build a ship.

This led to a possible conflict between Braavos and the Seven Kingdoms. But, in the end, it was resolved with the Crown’s debt to the Iron Bank paid off, though the eggs never returned to the hands of House Targaryen.

The reason for this was that the Sealord threatened Jaehaerys with the Faceless Men, and Jaehaerys backed down in the face of the threat. However, so as not to make a great enemy of Braavos, the Sealord paid off the debts the Crown owed to the Iron Bank.

However, only a fool would think Jaehaerys preferred having the debt paid over recovering the dragon eggs. After all, they were the most powerful weapons of destruction in the known world. No amount of money could buy a dragon.

"With you here, the Sealord of Braavos will never let this war drag on for long. For, if he uses the Faceless Men against us, you will burn all of Braavos in retaliation." Jaehaerys said in a calm tone.

Maekar nodded. He was the sword of Damocles should the war spiral out of control and turn into a war of annihilation. Neither side wanted such a thing.

"Maekar, be careful and do not fly too low; always dive quickly and then climb back up, repeating that maneuver." Jaehaerys advised Maekar with a piercing gaze. He had already taken part in war, riding Vermithor, and knew just how powerful a dragon rider could be.

Maekar looked at Jaehaerys and smiled. It was the first time he had been given advice by Jaehaerys; it made him feel that this war was truly interesting.

"Do not worry, Your Grace," Maekar said with a smile. "I have a beautiful wife with my son still in her womb. I have no intention of losing my life."

Jaehaerys nodded, satisfied. Honestly, Maekar marrying Gael had been a very good thing. Men who had a family to lose were calmer and thought before they acted.

"Maekar, remember to bring some cloaks; it rains a great deal at Dragonstone." Alysanne, who had been silent until then, spoke with a gentle smile. Although she did not want her grandson to go to war, this world was not kind to the people in it.

Maekar nodded and wasted no more time, leaving the room and leaving Jaehaerys and Alysanne in silence.

"I never thought I would command another war at the end of my life." Jaehaerys remarked in a deep tone.

"Fate is cruel, Jaehaerys." Alysanne let out a sigh, and Jaehaerys merely showed a thoughtful look.

-

BOOM!!!!!

A bolt of lightning cut through the air at a speed simply impossible for any human to observe; the sound of thunder reverberated across the sky as the blue and white plasma lit up the gray sky, full of storm clouds.

Suddenly, a gigantic dragon emerged from one of the clouds, its gigantic form winding through the air with force and brutality.

Maekar, his body completely soaked, looked down and saw only the purest darkness. Honestly, it was frightening to look at the sea at night. Only the sound of the waves colliding with one another was audible in that environment.

Maekar wasted no time and flew toward Dragonstone, intending to reach the ancestral castle of House Targaryen as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, a storm appeared above him and left him disoriented as to which direction he was heading.

Because of Bahamut, Maekar did not dare fly low. If they were struck by a giant wave, he did not want to meet the same fate as Rhaenyra’s eldest son.

The dragon glided through the air from one side to the other as the rainwater struck against his scales.

Suddenly, while trying to make something out, Maekar glimpsed several orange lights, but they were distant and tiny. Maekar’s eyes lit up. He knew they were the castle’s torches shining through the windows.

Bahamut sensed Maekar’s intentions, spun in the air, changed direction, and advanced toward the orange lights in his field of view.

Huh?

Maekar, who was glad to have found something, glimpsed a black shadow cutting across the clouds a few hundred meters away. The only reason he was able to see it was because of the lightning that lit up the world for a mere millisecond.

Maekar’s expression changed drastically; he did not think he was seeing things, for, if he was right, he was close to Dragonstone.

Then, Maekar noticed a shadow with green eyes swimming through the clouds, looking at him with gigantic green eyes.

"Dracarys!!!"

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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