“You’re going to use one dragon against another?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.
You’re just an ordinary sorceress who knows a little magic.
Forget getting close to a dragon—you wouldn’t even be able to touch one.”
Alicent couldn’t help laughing.
Dragons belonged only to House Targaryen.
That was one of the most basic facts known throughout Westeros.
Yet this witch from Asshai apparently didn’t even understand something so fundamental.
Alicent genuinely began to wonder whether this woman could be trusted at all.
“Fire will guide us.”
“Your Grace, please be patient and witness the miracle for yourself.”
With that, the witch stepped backward into the shadows behind her.
Then, as if by magic, she disappeared right before Alicent’s eyes.
…
Within the Dragonpit
The dragonkeepers skillfully called out to Silverwing in High Valyrian, awakening the dragon from her recent slumber.
Rhaenyra and Daemon, meanwhile, mounted their own dragons and waited nearby.
“Roar—!”
Having flown throughout the previous night, Silverwing was clearly irritated at being awakened.
She slowly climbed to her feet and let out a couple of symbolic roars, but she did not breathe fire or issue any genuine warning.
The dragonkeepers were already accustomed to such behavior.
Rather than retreating, they continued calling to her in Valyrian.
“Your Highness, Silverwing has come out into the dragonpit.
Please approach.”
The captain of the dragonkeepers respectfully stepped aside.
He also signaled Rhaenyra and Daemon to move their dragons farther back so they would not agitate the already displeased Silverwing.
Once everything was ready, the dragonkeeper signaled that Prince Baelon could proceed.
Silverwing truly deserved her reputation as the second-largest dragon after Vermithor.
Her silver scales gleamed brilliantly, while her movements and voice possessed an almost graceful beauty.
Unlike Vhagar, whose wings were riddled with holes of different sizes, Silverwing appeared magnificent and whole.
“What a beautiful dragon.”
Baelon couldn’t help marveling at the sight.
He took a deep breath and slowly walked forward, preparing to make his first attempt at touching a dragon.
“Look at me, Silverwing!”
Baelon spoke in High Valyrian.
Suddenly, he caught a strange fragrance in the air.
But the moment of contact was already upon him.
He had no time to think about it and simply extended his hand, continuing to move forward one cautious step at a time.
Silverwing also noticed the golden-and-silver-haired boy who had appeared before her.
Sensing the same Targaryen blood in him that had once belonged to her first rider, Alyssane, she lowered her enormous head curiously and examined him.
“Wonderful.
Silverwing isn’t rejecting Baelon.
That means his first contact is going smoothly.”
Rhaenyra couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief.
“We still need to be careful.
Not being rejected doesn’t mean the taming process will necessarily succeed.”
Daemon’s vigilance remained extremely high, and his eyes repeatedly swept across the surrounding area.
That bitch Alicent still hadn’t made her move. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Either she was preparing something particularly nasty, or she had another objective entirely.
“Something’s wrong!
Silverwing has lost control!
Protect the prince and get him out of the dragonpit!”
The dragonkeeper captain suddenly shouted.
The previously calm Silverwing abruptly raised her head.
Her jaws opened as she aimed directly at the area beneath Baelon, preparing to unleash her dragonfire.
Daemon reacted first.
He immediately ordered Caraxes into an aggressive stance, blocking Silverwing’s line of sight and deliberately drawing her attention toward himself.
“Brother, come with me!”
Rhaenyra dismounted from Syrax and hurried forward, grabbing Baelon’s hand as she prepared to pull him away.
But Baelon stopped her.
“I’m fine, Sister.
If I run, a dragon fight will be unavoidable.”
After what had happened with Dreamfyre, Baelon understood the situation perfectly.
Silverwing wasn’t angry because he was an unsuitable rider.
She was angry because Baelon already possessed the Cannibal—the infamous wild dragon.
There was no need to think too deeply about it.
The Cannibal had undoubtedly visited Dragonstone countless times in search of food, preying on dragons or disturbing their territory.
As the saying went, every debt had a debtor and every grievance had someone responsible.
If Silverwing couldn’t catch that cunning bastard called the Cannibal, couldn’t she vent her anger on its rider instead?
Baelon gently patted Rhaenyra’s hand, signaling her not to worry.
Then he calmly extended his right hand and called out in Valyrian.
“Calm down, Silverwing!”
“Obey my command!”
“Roar—!”
Silverwing twisted her massive body restlessly.
As expected, she stopped preparing to unleash her flames.
Instead, she slowly lowered her enormous head and cautiously approached Baelon, her eyes filled with both suspicion and curiosity.
For anyone else, running would have been the most natural choice.
Once a dragon displayed genuine aggression, fleeing was simply common sense.
But Baelon did not run.
Instead, he stared directly into Silverwing’s eyes with confidence and sharp determination.
Then, with astonishing boldness, he extended one hand and placed it against the dragon’s approaching head.
In the next instant, it was as though the two of them had reached an understanding without words.
They simultaneously closed their eyes.
Several seconds passed.
Silverwing opened her eyes once more.
The fury that had filled them was gone.
In its place was a strange, indescribable hint of regret.
She turned around and slowly crawled back toward her lair.
Baelon did the same.
Once he opened his eyes, he waved toward Rhaenyra and the others behind him, signaling that he was unharmed.
The dragonkeepers standing behind him were completely stunned.
They had never imagined that the young prince would dare behave so recklessly in front of a dragon.
Yet none of them dared approach him immediately.
Silverwing had finally calmed down, and they feared that rushing forward might provoke her again.
“That little bastard!
Just wait until we get back.
I’ll show you what happens when you scare me like that!” Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Rhaenyra patted her chest, trying to calm her violently pounding heart.
At the same time, she couldn’t help feeling delighted by Baelon’s courage and his miraculous survival.
She had always known it.
Her little brother Baelon was no ordinary Targaryen.
He was the Prince That Was Promised from the legend of Ice and Fire!
“Brother is amazing!”
Helaena had been protected by several guards at the very back of the group, but there wasn’t even the slightest hint of surprise on her face that Baelon had succeeded.
“Please spare me, Sister.
I barely managed to come back alive.”
Baelon had just started walking toward Rhaenyra when he suddenly stopped and took another step backward.
“Enough nonsense.
Come here and let me check you!”
Rhaenyra’s tone was stern and commanding.
Baelon didn’t dare argue.
He obediently walked over and allowed Rhaenyra to inspect him from head to toe.
Only after confirming that he was completely unharmed did she finally release the breath she had been holding.
She tapped him firmly on the forehead with one finger.
“You!
If you ever let go of my hand like that again, I’ll lock you inside the Red Keep and never let you leave for the rest of your life!”
“Oh.
All right.”
Baelon lowered his head.
He didn’t dare argue even once as Rhaenyra dragged him away.
“Uncle, I’m taking Baelon back to have the maesters examine him.
I’ll leave the Dragonpit to you.”
Rhaenyra turned her head and called to Daemon.
“Understood.”
Daemon answered briefly, his eyes remaining fixed on Baelon’s departing figure.
He had to admit it.
His nephew possessed an extraordinary amount of courage.
Faced with a raging dragon, the boy hadn’t lost his composure for even a moment.
He wondered whether Baelon was truly destined for greatness…
or whether he was simply insane.
“Aside from the sheep you fed her, did you give Silverwing anything else?
Or did anyone approach the Dragonpit?”
Daemon looked down at the dragonkeepers from atop Caraxes.
During Baelon’s attempt to tame Silverwing, he had also noticed that strange fragrance.
From his experiences traveling throughout the world during his youth, Daemon suspected that it might have been perfume from one of the Free Cities—or perhaps something far more dangerous.
A particularly potent poison.
Whatever it was, one thing was certain: that smell had absolutely no place in a dragonpit, and it certainly did not belong around dragons.
The dragonkeepers exchanged confused glances, each silently wondering what the others knew.
Yet no one answered.
Daemon didn’t hesitate.
He slowly dismounted from Caraxes, drew his sword, Dark Sister, and planted its tip against the ground.
“Very well.
If none of you are willing to speak, then we’ll question you one by one and we’ll keep going until someone finally opens their mouth.”