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Once they reached the entrance of the dragonpit, Rhaenyra struck Vaelor on the backside without another word.
“Ah!” Vaelor cried out from the pain, but his gaze remained fixed stubbornly behind them.
What exactly had happened?
No one had said a dragon could simply ignore a person.
Seeing his indignant look, Rhaenyra flushed with anger and shouted, “Vaelor, you nearly lost your life just now.” The dragon had clearly rejected him.
Continuing to pester her was asking to die.
“She did not attack me.” Vaelor’s eyes were serious.
He was very certain.
“She did not want to attack me either.” He had been nervous at first.
But when he stood before Dreamfyre, he had faintly sensed a thought within that enormous body.
Indifference.
Not only indifference toward his request to form a bond, but indifference toward him as a person.
She did not even have the desire to attack.
Rhaenyra’s chest rose and fell sharply with anger.
Her face cold, she said, “You are not allowed to act recklessly again.” He was far too outrageous.
Even when Daemon had struggled with dragon-taming, he had never been as bold as this.
If something had truly happened, how would she explain it to Vaelor’s parents or to her own father?
Looking at the furious Rhaenyra, Vaelor unconsciously lowered his head and said guiltily, “I am sorry.
I will not.” He did not apologize for touching Dreamfyre without permission.
He apologized because he had made Rhaenyra worry.
Thinking about it carefully, what he had done was indeed dangerous.
He should not have been that impulsive, following only what he felt.
“Fine.
As long as you understand.” Rhaenyra pressed a hand to her chest and truly did not want to say more.
She needed time to calm down.
Vaelor pursed his lips and drew circles on the ground with his toe.
It had been a little dangerous, yes, but there had also been a secret, generous reward.
Just now, the panel notification had sounded.
[Essence Panel] Powerful special magic-rich creature detected.
Scorching fire magic acquired.
Vaelor stole a glance at Rhaenyra, who was no longer looking at him, and called up the Essence Panel.
[Essence Panel] [Vaelor Targaryen] Talent: Dreamer (Gold) Bloodline: Ancient Valyrian Dragonlord (18%) Skills: High Valyrian (Mastery), Arithmetic (Proficient)…
Magic Cards: None Pet: Golden-Nosed Mouse (Blue) Status: “A well-developing human child with the potential to become a powerful warrior.” “My bloodline purity rose by five percent out of nowhere, and a pet column appeared.” Vaelor thought it over carefully and guessed that the fire magic provided by Dreamfyre had taken effect.
The radiant panel turned, revealing the card screen.
Only one of the three cards remained, [Sleight of Hand], and his eyes automatically skipped over it.
At the bottom, beside the golden hourglass, the number read: [Essence Panel] Magic Essence: 168.
The extra hundred magic essence was clearly thanks to Dreamfyre.
Vaelor had become less pathetic than before, but he still felt a little thrill.
“Bloodline and essence both blooming.
That was worth it.” “Prince, please leave first.” The old dragonkeeper could not see the radiant panel.
His face had gone pale with fright as he begged the little royal to go.
If a Targaryen met with an accident in the Dragonpit under his care, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The last time he had been this frightened had been because of Baelon the Brave.
Vaelor closed the panel.
He wanted to leave, but he was unwilling, torn in every direction.
Although Dreamfyre had not acknowledged him, he had received her gift.
He did not want to part like this.
The old dragonkeeper thought he still wanted to try and looked miserable.
“Prince, your father claimed his dragon only when you were still a very small child.” Aside from young dragons hatched in cradles, Targaryens had almost never tamed dragons before ten.
Most had done so only after reaching adulthood.
In other words, a child of Vaelor’s age could not even sit properly in a dragon saddle.
Vaelor shook his head to show he did not mean to tame her and offered another idea.
“Dreamfyre has a strange temper.
Could you release her chains and allow her a moment of freedom?” “That is very dangerous.” The old dragonkeeper’s answer was righteous and firm.
After thinking it through, Vaelor said, “She is only solitary.
Dreamfyre hatched during Aegon the Conqueror’s reign and was once an auspicious presence for House Targaryen.
Letting her fly one circle will do no harm.” The old dragonkeeper fell silent.
Dreamfyre was the oldest living dragon after Vhagar.
The wisdom settled in her by age was no less than a human’s, and she had once traveled across the continent.
Toward humans, her hostility was faint.
Vaelor persuaded him again.
“Even if Dreamfyre flies far, there is only one place she would go: Dragonstone.” “That is true.” The old dragonkeeper admitted it with a nod.
Dragons were highly intelligent creatures, and they also shared a habit of staying close to familiar territory.
Once hatched in a place, they generally did not wander too far from it.
Just as the two wild dragons on Dragonstone only nested around the Dragonmont.
“Letting her return to Dragonstone would not be bad.” Rhaenyra suddenly spoke.
Vaelor was very surprised.
He had not expected her to help him.
“Hmph.” Rhaenyra snorted.
She was not helping this reckless little brat.
She simply did not want such a beautiful dragon to be locked forever in the Dragonpit.
That alone was enough to make Vaelor happy.
With both royals having spoken, the old dragonkeeper could only obey.
“Please go outside first.
We will complete the matter.” “Good.” Vaelor agreed at once.
Whether Rhaenyra wanted to deal with him or not, he took her soft hand, shook it a few times, and shamelessly led her away.
Vaelor had learned early that a little coaxing could soften even the hardest expression.
When he had been difficult as a child, Alicent had only needed to coax him a little before she stopped being angry, wiped her tears, and continued looking after him.
Rhaenyra had no choice but to be pulled out of the Dragonpit with him.
Rumble.
The moment the bronze gates opened, sunlight fell across their faces, and a light breeze brushed past their ears.
Vaelor narrowed his eyes, and his whole body felt brighter.
“You are not allowed to do that again.” Rhaenyra felt the same relief but turned her head awkwardly, scolding him in a voice neither heavy nor light.
Vaelor’s mouth curved adorably.
“All right.
I will listen to you.” As they spoke, the guard detail hurried over.
The Dragonpit was a forbidden place.
Even Ser Steffon had to wait outside.
“Prince, failing once does not matter.
You are still young.” Ser Ryan smiled and kindly offered comfort.
From his words, Ser Steffon and Willam finally realized that the prince had not come out riding a dragon.
“Hk-tui.” Gunthor did not care.
He chewed an orange and spat the seeds onto the ground.
Boom.
Boom.
At that moment, the sound of heavy steps came from within the Dragonpit.
“Protect the prince and princess.” Ser Steffon was worthy of the Kingsguard.
He immediately shielded the two royals behind him.
“Quiet, Dreamfyre!” The old dragonkeeper’s shout rang out as he soothed the restless dragon in High Valyrian.
Then everyone saw a shadow block the sun.
An elegant pale blue dragon slowly crawled out through the bronze gates.
Her head rose high, and her half-lidded eyes stared directly at the sun.
After years without leaving, she was adjusting to the light.
“Dragon!” Willam cried out and nearly lost his footing on the steps.
Ser Steffon and Ser Ryan were shocked as well.
For the first time in their lives, they were this close to a dragon, and their hands closed tightly around their sword hilts.
“Seven hells.” Gunthor was the most shaken.
He stared up at the dragon in dumb amazement, and the half-eaten orange fell from his mouth.
From far away, a dragon had not seemed like this.
Now, with only a few yards between them, one claw could crush him dead.
Awe rose naturally.
Vaelor took everything in and drew Rhaenyra back.
With clear judgment, he said, “Everyone move away.
Give her enough space.” “Yes.” The guard detail’s main virtue was obedience.
Soon, only a dragon long parted from the sky remained before the bronze gates.
Dreamfyre shook her head.
With the chains removed from her long neck, she spread a pair of pale blue wings.
Brilliant sunlight fell across her wing membranes, scattering a dreamlike shimmer of color.
It happened to fall over Vaelor below.
Vaelor raised a hand to shield his eyes and praised her with a smile.
“She is beautiful.” “Shriek!” Dreamfyre lifted her head and roared.
A spark of life appeared in her vertical pupils as she beat her wings like a shuttle and shot straight into the blue sky.
✦ ✦ ✦ Ready for more?
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS EmberHollow Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter pulled you deeper into the story.
Stick around, because there’s still a lot waiting just ahead.