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

Chapter 118: Chapter 117 – The Fall of the Triarchy (II)

Stepstones, Bloodstone Island.

At this moment, ships with various crests were docking at the island’s wooden harbor. A plump man, wearing purple velvet clothes, disembarked from the ship bearing House Targaryen’s crest. He had a sincere smile on his lips and a look that would make you notice he was a kind man.

Looking at the wooden houses amid burned ruins, Viserys let out a sigh. His brother had lived in this place for a long time. He looked at the harbor and saw, waiting for him, his brother, Daemon. Behind him, Caraxes could be seen looking at him with his usual cold, cruel look.

“Welcome to Bloodstone, brother.” Daemon said as he approached with a smile. There was a certain relief in his expression. He could finally rest properly now that Viserys and the Dornish lords had arrived.

“Sorry for the delay, Daemon.” Viserys hugged Daemon and spoke with a smile. “I took longer than I should have; the lords of Dorne are very hospitable, and I got caught up in feasts and banquets.”

Remembering how much time he’d spent at banquets, winning votes for the Great Council, Viserys couldn’t help showing a satisfied smile. He was confident he’d secure at least more than half of Dorne’s votes.

Daemon, who had been happy at Viserys’s arrival, froze upon hearing those words. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He had been badly wounded and, even in that state, had still forced himself to fly, even if only for a few minutes, giving the impression that everything was fine.

And now Viserys said he was late because of banquets… He had been wounded and waiting for reinforcements, and Viserys had been at a banquet with palace intrigues!!!

At this moment, if Viserys weren’t his brother, Daemon wouldn’t have hesitated to draw Dark Sister and behead him for treason and failure to follow orders in times of war.

Suppressing the fury bubbling in his chest, Daemon looked coldly at his brother and just nodded.

“Where’s Vhagar?” Daemon set aside his resentment and asked in a confused tone. He didn’t see the magnificent green female dragon, which left him puzzled.

This time it was Viserys who froze. Feigning casualness, he answered with a trace of shame appearing on his face. “She didn’t accept me.”

Daemon looked at Viserys with a stunned look. For the second time, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Although Vhagar was a female dragon with a strong temperament, Viserys, being Baelon’s son, her former rider, the dragon wouldn’t have refused Viserys. After all, if Balerion had accepted Viserys, it showed he was worthy of riding Vhagar herself.

“How did the king let you leave King’s Landing without claiming Vhagar?” Daemon asked with a confused expression. From what he knew of Jaehaerys, the man wouldn’t have let Viserys leave King’s Landing without having claimed Vhagar.

“Your letter saying you needed help made the king agree to my leaving.” Viserys said with a satisfied smile. He could no longer stand Jaehaerys’s insistence that he claim Vhagar. After Balerion’s death, he’d lost all interest in dragons. He preferred spending time with his model over a dragon.

If Daemon had known his older brother’s thoughts, he probably would have strangled Viserys right then and there.

Daemon looked at Viserys and, for the first time, felt his brother wasn’t worthy of sitting on the Iron Throne. He knew his brother was weak and lacked the determination and cruelty of a king, but he hadn’t expected him to be stupid too.

So you know I was wounded and you were at a banquet!? Daemon wanted to kill Viserys all over again but suppressed that thought once more.

“A raven arrived from Dragonstone.” Daemon looked at Viserys and said in a calm tone. “The Triarchy fell at Maekar’s hands; he won the Battle of the Sea of Myrth and burned the city of Myr. Lys and Tyrosh left the war and declared themselves defeated.”

“That’s good.” Viserys showed a happy expression at the news, but Daemon grew even darker at that response.

“That’s good?” He asked in a tone full of sarcasm; he looked at his brother as if looking at a foolish man. “He destroyed the Triarchy, and you were at a banquet winning over those salty Dornishmen. He destroyed the Triarchy’s fleet and burned Myr, and you were drinking wine and fucking some Dornish whore.”

“He has a damn dragon that destroyed a kingdom, and you have a fucking horse that eats grass.” Daemon even shouted in a furious tone.

Daemon knew his brother was weak and foolish, but he hadn’t expected it to be at this level. The more extraordinary Maekar was, the more incompetent Viserys showed himself to be. This was evident when comparing Viserys’s accomplishments.

Yes, Viserys had Jaehaerys’s support, and that was his greatest advantage, but Viserys was simply too complacent to try to prove himself a better man than Maekar.

Daemon could have many complaints about Maekar, but he had to admit Maekar was someone who was working hard to win the Iron Throne. Compared to Viserys, Daemon felt his older brother didn’t even have 1% of Maekar’s courage and determination.

Viserys, who had been smiling, felt his smile stiffen at his younger brother’s furious, harsh words.

“It’s good news, Daemon.” Viserys shook his head and let out a sigh. He really felt his family was complicated. Instead of being happy about Maekar’s victory in the war, Daemon still tried to spread hostility and distrust.

“Let’s not talk about this; let’s celebrate the victory in the war against the Triarchy.” Viserys patted Daemon gently on the shoulder and spoke with a smile.

Looking at his brother, Daemon had never felt as powerless as he did at this moment; even when Maekar cut off his arm, he hadn’t felt this feeling. He swore he was trying to help Viserys, but what could he do when someone didn’t want his help?

Honestly, Daemon felt Jaehaerys should have chosen Maekar as heir; at least he wouldn’t have gone through this torture of helping Viserys, who thought he didn’t need help.

“Hubary.” When Daemon shouted, the pirate approached and looked at Viserys with a touch of confusion in his gaze. He couldn’t believe this fat man was the best candidate for the Iron Throne of an entire continent.

Not to mention Viserys’s gentle appearance, Hubary didn’t even sense any imposing, powerful aura. Viserys, in Hubary’s eyes, looked like… a sheep? He didn’t know if he was right to think that, but it was the only docile animal that had come to mind at the moment.

“Yes, my prince.” Suppressing the doubts in his mind, Hubary asked in a respectful tone.

“Bring the rum and wine; my brother wants to celebrate with the Dornish Lords.” Daemon said in a cold tone.

Hubary’s eyes widened hearing those crazy orders. He approached Daemon and advised him in a subtle tone. “Drinking wouldn’t be wise, seeing as we’re guarding against Tyrosh…”

How could Daemon not know that? But he no longer cared. Daemon just wanted to drink and wake up the next morning after an alcohol-induced coma. After having this conversation with Viserys, that was what he wanted most.

Hubary wanted to say something more, but, after seeing the expression on the prince’s face, he just nodded. Either way, he was just the subordinate who was supposed to obey.

——

Note: Guys, I need your help with something. I’ve already introduced blood and fire magic, and I didn’t even have to nerf it because George R.R. Martin already did it for me. All magic comes at a price; in the case of blood magic, that price is a ritual or the sacrifice of one’s own blood. However, even so, it’s still a bit too powerful. Do you have any interesting ideas on how to tone it down a bit?

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