Early the next morning.
Daeron went to find Rhaegar for a formal talk in the study.
"The situation on Dragonmont is unclear; I don't suggest you go," Rhaegar said indifferently.
Rhaegar spoke calmly.
Daeron waved his hand and brought up the matter of Oldtown and House Hightower.
Lord Leyton was eccentric.
He needed Rhaegar to write a letter to help persuade Lord Leyton to return the dragon egg.
Rhaegar was recognized throughout the Seven Kingdoms as a good prince and a restorer of the realm; anyone would give him some face.
"Hightower... dragon egg..."
Rhaegar was quite surprised.
Daeron wasn't worried about the other party stealing it, saying bluntly: "I came for the dragon egg; the family needs a dragon."
"If you want a dragon egg, I can help you find one."
A trace of melancholy appeared in Rhaegar's eyes as he said softly, "But as for a dragon... even our great-grandfather couldn't achieve that."
Given his current status, he could find one or two dragon eggs if he put in the effort.
But in the 150-plus years since the dragons went extinct, no one had successfully hatched one.
Sometimes, standing at the ruins of Summerhall, he could still hear the wails from that great fire.
Daeron: "Brother, times have changed."
"Oh?"
Rhaegar composed his emotions, showing curiosity.
Daeron: "The special crops appearing on the continent—isn't that the best proof?"
The Red Comet arrived early.
The date of the dragons' return would also be moved forward.
Rhaegar pondered for a moment and nodded. "I can write a letter to Lord Leyton Hightower for you, requesting him to return royal property."
It worked!
Daeron was delighted.
"But..."
He shifted the topic, as if about to say something trivial yet important.
Rhaegar was direct: "House Hightower is powerful. If you want to reclaim the dragon egg, you must give Lord Leyton enough face."
"For example, he might demand special crops as a condition; you must do your best to fulfill it."
It was similar to what the "White Bull" Ser Gerold had said: exchanging special crops for the dragon egg.
Daeron accepted it entirely.
After their first formal conversation, the distance between the brothers eased significantly, allowing them to chat about trifles.
At Daeron's inquiry, Rhaegar spoke of the objective of his previous voyage.
"I went to the Eastern Continent, staying in Tyrosh and Lys, trying to find traces of the ancestral sword, 'Blackfyre'."
Rhaegar didn't hide it, nor did he deign to.
However, from the regret in his tone, one could guess he returned empty-handed.
"Searching for the ancestral sword—we happen to have the same idea," Daeron thought privately.
"The family needs to change, and I am working toward that," Rhaegar said calmly, as if speaking of a minor matter.
Rhaegar's expression was calm.
Daeron nodded without refuting him.
Both saw the family was teetering and harbored the idea of saving the crumbling edifice.
He was collecting dragon eggs, trying to hatch a dragon.
This was the most direct and thorough way to change things, capable of pushing the Targaryen Family back to its peak in one fell swoop.
As for what Rhaegar was busy with and how he intended to save the family, it was temporarily unknown.
It was unclear for now.
"I can share two pieces of intelligence with you."
After careful consideration, Daeron decided to return the favor.
First, Skagos might be the burial ground of The Cannibal.
Second, the ancestral sword 'Blackfyre' is not in Tyrosh; it's likely in the hands of the Golden Company. Magister Illyrio of Pentos is the breakthrough point.
These two pieces of intelligence were critical.
Unfortunately, Daeron could not use them.
Having met the three-eyed crow twice in dreams, Daeron swore he wouldn't step foot in The North until he hatched a dragon egg.
Whether Skagos had any connection to The Cannibal was doubtful, and the probability of finding a dragon egg was even slimmer.
It was best left for the desireless Rhaegar to explore.
If there really were dragon eggs.
Following the convention of at least five eggs in a clutch, he could simply ask Rhaegar for one.
The second piece of intelligence was even more difficult.
The Golden Company was founded by the Great Bastard Bittersteel, Aegor Rivers, and is one of the strongest mercenary companies in the Eastern Continent.
Even if 'Blackfyre' was truly with them, reclaiming it would be a bloodbath.
But it could be left to Rhaegar.
"As long as I have dragons, all of this will be mine," Daeron's thinking was clear.
Daeron's logic was clear.
Hearing the two pieces of intelligence, Rhaegar did not doubt them and began to think seriously.
He trusted Daeron.
This younger brother had been different since childhood; perhaps not outstanding in any single aspect, but with no weaknesses either.
What he said was worth investigating.
"How are you certain that Illyrio is related to the Golden Company?"
Rhaegar quickly locked onto the target.
Daeron had an excuse ready: "I discovered several secret passages in Red Keep and happened to overhear the Master of Whisperers, Varys, in a private conversation with Illyrio. They mentioned the Golden Company, Maelys the Monstrous, waiting for the right moment... and so on."
Facing the Rhaegar from before the "False Spring," he didn't hesitate to sell out Varys.
The brothers might be competitors in the future.
But before a war broke out, it was necessary to unite against outsiders.
It didn't matter if their own people fought to the death, but they couldn't let outsiders profit.
"I will take note."
Rhaegar understood and mentally marked the Master of Whisperers, Varys.
It involved Blackfyre descendants.
If given the chance, he would pull them up by the roots.
Everything that needed to be said had been said.
Daeron asked one last question: "What is the situation on Dragonmont?"
...A short while later.
Daeron walked out of the study.
The talk had gone smoothly.
He had gained Rhaegar's assistance, and Rhaegar had gained two pieces of intelligence.
At the same time, he had also clarified the specific situation on Dragonmont.
Not long before the incident, someone saw a dragon-like, fire-breathing shadow on Dragonmont and was attacked.
The witness claimed it was a wild dragon.
Elia ordered Dragonmont to be sealed off.
After Rhaegar's failed search for the ancestral sword 'Blackfyre' and his return, he gathered a group of Dragon seeds and soldiers to form the Dragon Guards to patrol Dragonmont around the clock.
He personally led Arthur Dayne and Prince Lewyn into Dragonmont to search for the suspected wild dragon shadow.
The wild dragon was not found.
In a limestone cave where dragons once lived, Prince Lewyn was instead bitten by a strange crawler.
According to Rhaegar.
That crawler had excellent hiding abilities, mimicking the rocks perfectly; it could only be discovered if it showed itself.
Prince Lewyn was bitten by the crawler due to a moment of carelessness.
Moreover, its bite force was incredible, easily piercing armor leggings and crushing Prince Lewyn's right shin bone.
The wound even left traces of fire burns.
If Ser Arthur Dayne hadn't acted in time, the injuries would have been unpredictable.
Daeron specifically asked about the crawler's appearance.
When still, it looked like a rock; once it revealed its true form, it had two horns on its head, a shell as hard as iron, and a mouth full of sharp, thin fangs.
"How does it sound like a Magma Sprite from the Volcano Dungeon?"
Daeron wondered to himself.
Rhaegar's description of Dragonmont was very clear; it was still the same old Dragonmont, with no changes to the terrain or environment.
In other words, Dragonstone was not Pikegrove Island.
"Then how could there be a new species like a volcano monster in Dragonmont?"
Daeron was puzzled.
But compared to a volcano monster that only knew how to ambush, the news of a suspected wild dragon on Dragonmont was undoubtedly more exciting.
"Even though Rhaegar didn't find any traces of a wild dragon and the witness didn't see it clearly, this news is enough to provoke deep thought."
Daeron was curious if a wild dragon had truly hatched on its own.
Just as he went downstairs, a dispute broke out in the hall.
"Jon Darry, you blind coward, do you realize you are encroaching upon the Crown Prince's authority?"
The voice came from Oswell Whent.
He was making a blunt accusation.