The story of the Fourteen Flames soon came to an end.
Baelon closed the book and glanced over at Helaena, who had already fallen asleep.
With a small, exasperated sigh, he climbed down from his chair and padded over to her.
He tried to lift her, but Helaena was heavier than she looked.
Baelon managed to get her halfway off the floor before nearly losing his balance.
“Seven save me,” he muttered under his breath.
After a moment of struggling, he managed to hoist her into his arms, though her head rested awkwardly against his shoulder and he had to take slow, careful steps.
He carried her to his bed and gently laid her down beneath the covers.
Once he was certain she was comfortable, Baelon quietly closed the door behind him.
He then made his way to his beloved sister Rhaenyra’s room, where he intended to sleep for the night.
…
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
Baelon had just finished dressing and was preparing to attend the small council as usual when Larys Strong, who had already been promoted to Master of Whisperers and Interrogations, came limping toward him.
“Prince Baelon, we just received word.
Prince Daemon personally used himself as bait and successfully lured out the leader of the Crab Feeder’s forces.
Working with Lord Corlys in a pincer attack, he has successfully taken control of the Stepstones.”
“His Grace the King specifically sent me to ask you to accompany him outside King’s Landing to welcome Prince Daemon back.”
“Princess Rhaenyra has already gone ahead.
The victory feast at the Red Keep will be hosted by the Queen.”
Baelon wasn’t surprised by the news at all.
Instead, he couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
My uncle really is a useful sword.
“Father only mocked him a little, and Daemon not only beat the messenger who brought him the order, but personally went to the Stepstones and used himself as bait.
And somehow, he actually brought the war to an end.”
Baelon returned to his room and used the flame of a candle to burn the piece of paper in his hand.
“Larys, have you found anything about the Cannibal?”
Compared with his soon-to-return uncle, Baelon was clearly much more interested in the dragon he had spent the past two months searching for.
“Prince, according to my informants, the black wild dragon was spotted in the waters near Dragonstone three days ago.
Its exact location is still being investigated.”
As he spoke, Larys produced a crude map marking the areas where the Cannibal was most frequently sighted and respectfully handed it to Baelon.
Baelon accepted the map and glanced toward the window, judging the hour by the light outside.
“It is getting late.
Come with me.
Let’s go welcome my good uncle.”
…
King’s Landing, the Dragon Gate
King Viserys stood at the front of the welcoming party.
To his left stood his beloved eldest son and daughter, while to his right were the members of the small council led by the Hand of the King, Lyonel Strong.
They had been waiting there since sunrise, all to welcome the man who had achieved the greatest victory in the recent war against the Triarchy in the Stepstones.
The Prince of the Capital.
Daemon Targaryen. This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
“Your Grace, an hour has already passed.
Even if Prince Daemon were traveling by carriage, he should have arrived by now,” Jasper complained quietly to Otto.
He wasn’t the only one growing impatient.
Even the Hand, Lyonel Strong, looked displeased.
No matter how impressive a prince’s achievements were, they could never be more important than the dignity of the king himself.
“Your Grace, shall I ride ahead and see what has happened?”
“I trust my brother.
He must have encountered some trouble along the road, which is why he has kept his elder brother waiting until now.”
Viserys deliberately made the excuse sound generous and dignified.
In truth, he had already cursed his eternally immature, impulsive, and utterly reckless younger brother a thousand times in his head.
Then, suddenly—
“SKREEEEE!”
A strange roar echoed from the distance.
Everyone looked up.
A massive red shape was rapidly approaching through the sky.
Sharp horns.
A long, serpentine body.
Red wings shaped like enormous curved blades.
“It is Uncle’s Caraxes!” Rhaenyra cried out excitedly.
The arrival of the dragon immediately attracted the attention of every noble nearby.
Faced with such a colossal beast, almost everyone instinctively took a step backward.
Everyone except Baelon and Viserys.
“There’s no need to panic,” Viserys said calmly.
“The dragons of the royal family only attack those who stand against the dynasty.”
His expression remained completely composed as the enormous dragon drew closer, displaying the effortless authority of a king.
Hearing their king’s words, the assembled nobles gradually relaxed.
They watched as the red dragon soared over their heads and headed toward King’s Landing.
“Look!
That’s Caraxes, Prince Daemon’s dragon!”
“Seven save us!
With the Prince of the Capital returning, the security of King’s Landing will surely return to its former glory!”
“Welcome home, Prince Daemon!”
The common people and the Gold Cloaks responsible for maintaining order erupted into enthusiastic cheers, shouting the names of Prince Daemon and Caraxes.
“Caraxes!”
Daemon sat atop the dragon’s saddle and gently patted Caraxes’s neck.
Man and dragon understood one another without words.
Caraxes immediately understood what its rider wanted.
The dragon opened its jaws and unleashed a torrent of red flame into the sky.
Then Daemon urged Caraxes straight through it.
After making a complete circuit around King’s Landing, announcing the triumphant return of the Prince of the Capital to the entire city, Daemon finally guided Caraxes back toward Viserys and the assembled members of the small council.
A double-bladed axe rested in his hand, while a crown woven from vines sat upon his head.
He strode toward his elder brother, King Viserys.
“Prince Daemon, no one is permitted to approach the king disrespectfully!”
Ser Harrold, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, drew his sword and pointed it directly at Daemon’s chest.
Daemon barely spared him a glance.
Instead, his attention remained fixed on his elder brother.
Viserys was doing the same.
He held the ancestral sword Blackfyre in his hand, his expression cold as he studied Daemon’s flamboyant and arrogant appearance.
The two brothers stared at one another.
For several moments, neither said a word.
The assembled lords and councilors remained silent as well.
This was a matter between members of the royal family.
Anyone who recklessly inserted themselves into the conversation risked drawing Prince Daemon’s hatred.
After several tense seconds, Daemon finally took a step backward.
Then he threw the double-bladed axe onto the ground in front of Viserys.
“This is a trophy.
Add it to the Iron Throne.”
Viserys continued holding Blackfyre, his expression remaining cold as he looked at the crown on Daemon’s head.
“My brother, you wear a crown.
Have you declared yourself a king?”
Daemon placed both hands before his stomach, looking almost absurdly obedient.
“After the Triarchy’s alliance was utterly defeated, the people began calling me the King of the Narrow Sea.”
Viserys maintained his regal composure, waiting for Daemon’s next words.
Daemon looked directly at his brother and continued.
“But I know this, Your Grace.
There is only one king beneath the skies.”
With that, under the eyes of Baelon, Rhaenyra, and every member of the small council, Daemon dropped to one knee before Viserys.
He removed the woven crown from his head and solemnly declared:
“My crown and the Stepstones belong to you.”
Every lord present was stunned.
The proud and seemingly untamable Rogue Prince had actually given Viserys all the respect and dignity owed to an elder brother who was also his king.
Only then did Viserys’s expression finally brighten into a genuine smile.
He looked beyond Daemon.
“Where is Lord Corlys?
Did he not come with you?”
“He has already sailed back to his home on Driftmark.”
“And the Stepstones?
What is their current condition?
Who is guarding them?”
“Tides, the Crab Feeder, and two thousand Triarchy pirates nailed to the beaches as a warning to the rest.”
Daemon knew perfectly well that if he wanted to return to the embrace of the royal family, the fate of the Stepstones was extremely important to his king and brother.
And he had just handed the entire prize over to him.