High Tide Castle.
Led by the guards, they stepped into the castle's front courtyard, where a few ancient trees with thick trunks stood rooted, their fallen yellow leaves covering the ground.
At first glance, the scene appeared rather desolate and solemn.
Rhaegar gazed at the castle, searching for familiar figures.
The large doors slowly creaked open, and several silver-haired figures excitedly rushed out.
Daeron ran ahead with joy, spreading his arms wide for an embrace. "Big Brother, you've finally arrived!"
"Your Majesty!..."
Baela and Rhaena followed closely behind, beaming as they curtsied.
Rhaegar patted his younger brother's back, the muffled thuds of impact sounding solid. Satisfied, he nodded. "Not bad, you've grown stronger."
"I've been training regularly with Lord Sea Snake."
Daeron's voice was bright and clear, his demeanor already carrying the grace of royalty.
"There's still more to learn. Don't get complacent."
Rhaegar smiled as he carefully observed the younger brother he had personally mentored.
Now twelve years old, Daeron was a promising young man.
He had spent his childhood buried in books, widely read and knowledgeable.
Worried that the boy might follow in the footsteps of Vaegon the Dragonless, Rhaegar had used the Sea Snake's request as an excuse to send Daeron to Driftmark at the start of the year to serve as a cupbearer.
True to his reputation as a seasoned sailor and warrior, the Sea Snake had trained Daeron well.
Aegon and Aemond moved closer, exchanging greetings and asking about each other's well-being.
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra wrapped her arms around her two foster daughters, strengthening their bond.
"Is this the little sister you mentioned in your letter?"
Baela curiously peered at the swaddled infant, extending a finger to poke the baby's chubby cheek.
"Wuu~"
Visenya, sound asleep, scrunched her face and turned her head away in protest.
"Can I hold her?"
Rhaena's heart melted at the sight, eager to cradle the baby in her arms.
Seeing her two thoughtful foster daughters, Rhaenyra was pleased and cautioned them softly, "Gently now, don't wake her."
Daughters were different from sons.
Including Maekar, all three of her sons had accompanied her on dragon rides as infants, giggling with delight.
But her daughter—on dragonback, it was as if she were in a cradle, always sleeping soundly.
After the brief reunion, Daeron stepped forward to guide them, urging, "Aunt is waiting for us. Please, come inside."
---
### The Hall of Nine Walls
By the time the royal party arrived at the hall, an hour had passed.
After a dragon ride, one always needed to change into fresh, scent-free clothes.
Upon entering, they were met with a striking sight.
The Sea Snake, shirtless, lay on his side against the armrest of the Driftwood Throne, allowing the maester to remove the bandages.
Rhaegar's eyes focused on the wound—the cloth was soaked in blood, with pus glistening as it clung to the surface.
Hearing footsteps, the Sea Snake turned his soot-blackened face towards them, his thick lips pale and bloodless.
"Your Majesty!"
Recognizing the visitor, the Sea Snake dismissed the maester with a wave and attempted to rise for a formal greeting.
"Corlys."
Rhaenys stepped forward, trying to stop her husband from making a reckless move.
"I'm not that fragile."
His voice was hoarse as he stubbornly forced himself to stand and descend from the Driftwood Throne.
Rhaegar watched but did not intervene.
"Your presence brings great honor to High Tide, Your Majesty."
With his head lowered, the Sea Snake slowly dropped to one knee.
Looking down from above, Rhaegar finally saw the full extent of his injuries.
A deep, gaping wound stretched across his back, from his left shoulder down to his right abdomen, with glimpses of exposed rib bone beneath the torn flesh.
Beyond that, his body bore numerous smaller scars.
Rhaegar's heart clenched. He bent down and personally helped Corlys to his feet, his tone laced with concern. "This wasn't supposed to be a routine patrol of the Disputed Lands. How did you get so seriously injured?"
The Sea Snake's expression darkened with resentment. "It was a group of pirates from Volantis, working alongside slaver ships from Slaver's Bay."
The enemy had baited him into a trap. Overconfident, Corlys had taken the bait.
He had walked right into a brutal ambush.
"Slaver's Bay was involved too?"
Rhaegar's gaze sharpened. He exchanged a look with Aemond before stating firmly, "It must be the remnants of the Triarchy, conspiring with Volantis for their own agenda."
Aemond rested a hand on his sword hilt, his expression cold. "The sea routes in the Disputed Lands are taking shape. Volantis and Slaver's Bay are being forced to pay tolls. A resource war is inevitable."
"It's best to avoid unnecessary conflicts."
Aegon, standing on tiptoe, analyzed the situation rationally. "We still owe the Iron Bank a massive loan. If war breaks out, the economy will fall back a decade."
After years of managing the Stepstones, he had developed an acute sense of financial strategy.
He knew exactly how much wealth could be gained—or lost.
Aemond scoffed, unconcerned. "It's only a matter of time. They're nothing but a bunch of clowns."
"Let's hear Lord Corlys' proposal first," Rhaegar interrupted, raising a hand to stop his brothers from bickering. "He was the one who faced the enemy directly."
Though severely weakened, the Sea Snake remained clear-headed. "I agree with Prince Aemond. They need to be taught a lesson."
Aemond straightened his posture, radiating confidence. "Give me a fleet, and Sheepstealer and I will burn them all to ashes."
After years of partnership, he and his dragon fought as one.
Their combat prowess was nearly on par with Rhaegar and Daemon—among the best of the dragonriders.
Without even looking up, Rhaegar brushed aside the suggestion with a dismissive tone. "There will be a time for that. Be patient."
He had long set his sights on the wild young dragons of the Smoking Sea—yet he, too, had been waiting.
Now that he was king, he understood better than ever why wars could not be waged lightly.
The royal treasury was empty.
On top of that, Braavos, Pentos, and the other Free Cities were watching the Targaryens closely, fearing the rise of another Freehold Empire.
The Targaryens had expanded their influence too far, now sitting in the middle of the trade routes between eastern and western Essos—right at the heart of the Disputed Lands.
Rushing into war recklessly will invite too many unknown attacks.
There are many dragons, but we must consider defending the city-states.
The foundation we have worked so hard to build over the years cannot be left vulnerable to enemy ambushes and destruction.
If we are to fight, we must choose the right moment.
Right now, Rhaegar is both ruthless and steady.
With little effort, Rhaegar took the initiative to support the Sea Snake back to the Driftwood Throne, subtly displaying his kindness.
The Sea Snake's movements were stiff, and pain caused his mouth to twitch involuntarily.
The maester dared not hesitate and quickly applied medicine and bandaged the wounds.
Rhaegar asked, "Lord Corlys, do you understand why I have come?"
The Sea Snake's grimace froze for a moment before he spoke with a dark expression. "A few reckless members of my family have caused trouble. I will handle the matter first."
Rhaenys rolled her eyes and bluntly exposed the truth. "While you were away, several of your nephews were secretly buying loyalty behind your back."
"I will discuss it in detail."
The Sea Snake, feeling helpless, gave his wife an answer that was far from satisfactory.
Rhaenys scoffed and shook her head.
Rhaegar took note of this and knew that House Velaryon would soon hold a family discussion. He decided to take his leave. "Take care of yourself, my lord. In the meantime, we'll take a look around the island."
Such is the way of noble families.
As the head of House Velaryon, the Sea Snake would first negotiate with his kin and decide on a proper course of action.
After all, the family still needed those nephews of his.
Rhaegar understood this well and did not immediately press the issue.
He would wait until Corlys failed in his negotiations—then it would be his turn to step in.
His main purpose in coming to High Tide was to serve as a deterrent.
Still tending to his wounds, the Sea Snake was in no position to linger. "Your Majesty, I appreciate your effort. Perhaps Prince Daeron could take you to see the highlights of Hull and Spice Town."
Rhaegar had no objections and politely nodded again to Rhaenys.
Before he could leave, Rhaenys called out to him, showing familial care. "I heard that Rhaenyra has given birth. Meraxes laid a clutch of dragon eggs last time—one still remains. Would you like to place it in the newborn's cradle?"
Rhaegar politely declined. "There's no need. Baelon and Aemond already selected a green dragon egg from Syrax's clutch."
Both mother dragons had laid eggs in recent years.
Meraxes, known for her laziness, had laid a clutch before Maekar was born.
There were two eggs in total, both dark red, inheriting their mother's coloring.
Rhaenys had personally delivered them to King's Landing as a tribute to the royal family.
As a gesture of gratitude to his aunt—and to share his joy of becoming a father—Rhaegar had placed one in Maekar's cradle while the other remained in Rhaenys' possession.
Of course, it no longer belonged to House Velaryon.
Syrax, on the other hand, was far more prolific.
Over six years, she had laid two clutches.
The first contained two eggs, and the second, which came recently, held three.
Hearing this, Rhaenys did not insist. She shook her head with a knowing smile. "It seems fate has smiled upon Visenya, granting her a green dragon egg."
Rhaegar chuckled. "The children will choose for themselves. Whether the egg hatches depends on fate."
"Baelon's egg hasn't hatched yet?"
Rhaenys suddenly realized this and asked in disbelief.
Aemond's egg had hatched the very day he was born, and his young dragon was already nearing adolescence.
Yet Baelon's egg remained dormant.
"It's fine. He has his own ideas—I asked him about it."
Rhaegar was unconcerned and instead brought up Maekar. "Maekar's egg may not hatch either. I'm considering letting him try to bond with a young dragon when he's older."
It was an odd thing.
Of his six children, leaving aside the newborn Visenya and the one without a dragon egg, only one of his three sons had successfully hatched an egg.
It almost felt like a waste of his pure Valyrian bloodline.
Were it not for the fact that all his children had silver hair and violet eyes, one might suspect that dragon heritage had some hidden recessive trait.
"That's a good idea. Even I envy the young dragons in the Dragonpit."
Rhaenys agreed.
Snowstorm and Serrax had already hatched, along with a particularly aggressive black dragon.
Just from their appearance, each one looked fierce and imposing.
After some more casual conversation, Rhaegar formally took his leave.
Rhaenys, always warm and welcoming, personally saw off her nieces and nephews as they departed from the Hall of Nine Walls.
After so many years, the relationship between House Targaryen and House Velaryon had finally mended.
And part of that was because Rhaegar had followed the advice to name his second son Aemond, deeply moving his aunt, who was still mourning her own lost son.
---
After Rhaegar and his party left…
Rhaenys returned to her husband's side and sighed softly. "Why didn't you ask Daemon and Laenor to accompany you? You nearly didn't make it back."
"Daemon?"
At the mention of his son-in-law and former ally, the Sea Snake scoffed. "That man spends his days drowning in women. I wouldn't be surprised if he died between a woman's thighs."
He was a second son, after all. Given power, he let it consume him.
Even if he was a prince with the reputation of the Rogue Prince.
Rhaenys said nothing, merely staring at her husband.
The Sea Snake, growing irritated under her gaze, muttered, "Laenor is holding Lys. Her situation isn't easy either."
At last, Rhaenys' expression shifted slightly. She gave a self-mocking laugh. "True enough. Rhaenyra's claim to the throne is being questioned, and while her adoptive parents have stepped in, her birth parents are nowhere to be seen."
This time, it was the Sea Snake's turn to comfort his wife, albeit insincerely. "Laenor is still young. She will find a way through this."
"Perhaps."
Rhaenys no longer held any expectations.
---
The Ruins of High Tide
A long-abandoned castle, located southeast of Driftmark, left to decay for decades.
Built along the cliffs and coastline, its structure was a mix of stone and mortar.
This was the original ancestral seat of House Velaryon.
After the Sea Snake's numerous voyages and accumulation of vast wealth, he had constructed the current High Tide.
The old, damp, and drafty castle was abandoned.
After Rhaenys married into the family, the ruins were repurposed as a temporary dragon lair.
At this moment—
Baela, dressed in black riding leathers, led the way to the lair.
Baelon and Aemond followed closely behind.
Gentle-natured Rhaena brought up the rear, holding the hand of the youngest, Maekar.
"Screech!"
A sharp cry rang out, deliberately startling the younger ones.
Baelon turned his gaze.
From a cavern facing the sea, a magnificent dragon with cobalt-blue scales slowly emerged.
(End of chapter)