GOT King of Dragon

"The Velaryon family?" 

Rhaegar's interest was piqued. 

Rhaenyra chuckled. "Yes, a family well-versed in long voyages and historically allied with ours." 

"I've heard Lord Corlys is quite the troublemaker, giving Father a lot of headaches," Rhaegar remarked pointedly. 

"That was an issue of inheritance disputes from the older generation," Rhaenyra explained, trying to dispel her brother's bias. "Part of our journey this time is to reconcile with the Velaryons." 

Rhaegar frowned. "The Velaryons aren't as powerful as the Targaryens. Why are we the ones seeking reconciliation?" 

"That's something for the king to worry about," Rhaenyra replied, tugging playfully on his nose with a hint of displeasure in her tone. 

As a powerless heir, how could she possibly understand what weighed on their father's mind? 

Rhaegar pondered for a moment. "The Velaryons riding our dragons—that's a dangerous thing." 

Rhaenyra was momentarily stunned by his words and said in surprise, "That's only because of Aunt Rhaenys." 

"Then it should stay limited to Aunt Rhaenys," Rhaegar concluded. 

---

The sun hung high in the sky. 

The ship anchored in the waters around Dragonstone. 

Guards rowed two small boats, carrying the group to the sandy shore. 

After the voyage, Viserys sighed with relief, enjoying the solid feel of the soft sand underfoot. 

"Your Grace, the castle has prepared a feast with fine food and wine," the acting castellan of Dragonstone said as he led a group of attendants, bowing respectfully in greeting. 

Viserys smiled broadly at the mention of a banquet. "Good, that's exactly what I had in mind." 

He beckoned his wife and children forward, trying to use words and smiles to ease the tension left from the previous night's discord. 

Alicent followed with the younger children at his right, while Rhaegar and his sister walked hand in hand on the left. 

The division between the two groups was stark. 

The acting castellan noticed this and tactfully changed the subject. 

"Is this the prince and princess's first time on the island? Would you like me to give you an introduction?" 

Without even looking at him, Rhaegar replied, "My sister is the Princess of Dragonstone." 

Rhaenyra squeezed his hand, signaling him not to speak out of turn. 

The castellan hesitated slightly, then Rhaenyra smoothed over the moment. "Lord Robert, please explain it to my younger siblings." 

"Of course, Princess," Robert said, bowing slightly with a smile. "Dragonstone is a large island with rugged terrain and scarce crops." 

"But thanks to an active volcano, it's an ideal place for dragons to live." 

Though he appeared serious on the surface, Lord Robert turned out to be quite a chatterbox. 

Even without anyone responding, he continued prattling on endlessly. 

Viserys shook his head and chuckled, while only Rhaenyra occasionally responded to him. 

As they passed towering cliffs, a massive ebony gate carved with dragon motifs appeared ahead. 

Lord Robert stopped talking and called out to the tower guards stationed on either side of the gate. 

The black gate slowly opened, revealing a winding staircase that stretched for miles, climbing up the mountain to a gigantic castle perched at its peak. 

The castle, built entirely of black stone and modeled after the form of a dragon, was a sight to behold. 

Behind the gate, a line of tall, disciplined guards stood on either side. 

As the gate opened, they shouted greetings to Viserys in unison. 

The imposing atmosphere left Rhaegar awestruck. 

Viserys led the group forward onto the stone staircase that resembled a bridge, visibly pleased with the welcome. 

Lord Robert resumed his chatter. 

"Dragonstone Castle was built during the Valyrian Freehold as a stronghold on Westeros." 

"Thanks to Valyria's advanced stoneworking, the castle was entirely constructed from black stone and designed with techniques far beyond what we can achieve today." 

"From a distance, it looks like an ancient dragon resting atop the mountain, watching over Westeros." 

This time, Rhaegar listened intently. 

The dragon-shaped castle of Dragonstone and the winding staircase beneath their feet truly seemed like marvels of craftsmanship, inspiring awe. 

After some time, they finally entered the castle. 

The main hall, decorated predominantly in black and red, matched the Targaryen family's aesthetic. 

After a brief handwashing, the formal feast began. 

After finishing most of the meal, Viserys rubbed his satisfied stomach, sipped on fine wine, and asked, "I sent you a raven. How are things on Dragonstone?" 

Lord Robert reported, "Your Grace, two days ago, the volcano on the island erupted, spewing lava. It startled Vermithor and Silverwing, but thankfully, they didn't harm anyone and quickly returned to their nests." 

"As long as nothing happened, that's good. Tomorrow, we can prepare to help my two sons bond with their dragons," Viserys said with a cheerful smile. 

Lord Robert shook his head and replied with difficulty, "Because of the upheaval, the two young dragons we had secured earlier have gone into hiding. We're still searching for them." 

Hearing this, Viserys's expression darkened instantly. He set down his wineglass and fixed Lord Robert with a questioning stare. 

"Both young dragons are missing? What are the dragonkeepers and the Dragon Guard on the island doing?" 

Lowering his head like a guilty child, Lord Robert apologized, "I'm truly sorry, Your Grace. The young dragons were quiet and had been roaming freely on Dragonstone. We grew too complacent." 

To his credit, Lord Robert took full responsibility for the mistake without making excuses. 

Viserys glared at him angrily, his freshly full stomach now seeming even rounder, and said, "Find those young dragons as quickly as possible. It takes time for the princes to bond with them." 

"Yes, Your Grace," Lord Robert replied, bowing repeatedly before hastily leaving to oversee the search for the dragons. 

The dining table was left with only the family. Rhaenyra questioned, "Vermithor and Silverwing have been dormant for years. How is it they've reappeared now?" 

"It's nothing surprising," Viserys replied. "A volcanic eruption is a natural disaster, and even dragons know how to avoid danger." 

His thoughts drifted to his own former dragon, Balerion the Black Dread. 

Balerion had been larger than Vhagar, with wings that could block out the sky and flames hot enough to melt stone. 

Unfortunately, by the time Viserys began riding Balerion, it was already too late. 

He had only managed one flight over King's Landing as a boy, barely able to make a round trip to Dragonstone. 

Reflecting on those days, Viserys chuckled softly, pushed back his chair, and stood up. "Your king and father has had his fill. Now, I'm off for a nice nap." 

After he left, the table grew quiet. 

The rest hurriedly finished their meals and left one by one. 

--- 

The sun was still high when Rhaegar clung to Rhaenyra, asking her to take him on a tour of Dragonstone. 

With nothing better to do, Rhaenyra agreed to his request. 

The two first wandered around the castle, admiring the grand architecture from the ancient Valyrian era. 

Rhaegar was amazed. 

Not only was the castle shaped like a dragon, but there were also two towering spires, also dragon-shaped, rising into the sky with dragon heads gazing in all directions. 

By afternoon, Rhaenyra, growing tired of Rhaegar's persistent requests, took him for a walk on the beach. 

Looking up at the towering cliffs, Rhaegar felt utterly free, cheering with joy. 

Compared to the cage-like Red Keep, he adored the natural beauty of Dragonstone. 

Watching her brother running along the shore, Rhaenyra chuckled and said, "Poor child, you've never been far from home." 

Rhaegar hadn't yet realized that Dragonstone was merely the Targaryen family's doorstep. 

Only by leaving the Crownlands would one truly step into the Seven Kingdoms. 

"Sister, come quickly! Look, there's a really deep and dark cave here!" 

(End of Chapter)