Illyrio's manor.
Boom—!
Fire raged throughout the manor, thick smoke billowing, as servants and maids screamed in terror.
"Damn it, how can there be a dragon!?"
Illyrio, his face full of horror, fled while clutching a wooden chest.
Inside the chest were three petrified Dragon Egg.
Somehow the news had leaked, drawing the Targaryen dragon.
His liquid assets certainly couldn't be taken away.
These three priceless Dragon Eggs were his capital for a future comeback.
Boom—!
A stream of crimson Dragonfire washed over the castle's outer wall, shattering glass windows and surging into the corridor, nearly setting him ablaze.
"The eggs! My Dragon Eggs!"
Illyrio took a heavy tumble but scrambled up desperately, still thinking of making a comeback.
But he would have no such chance.
Tap, tap, tap—
Abrupt footsteps came from behind, a steady and orderly sound, each step seeming to stomp on his heart.
Illyrio's pupils suddenly constricted, and he whipped his head around to look.
At the end of the corridor charred by Dragonfire, a silver-haired figure slowly ascended the steps, emerging from the billowing smoke.
"Did you come alone?"
Seeing no pursuers, Illyrio entertained the thought of a counter-kill.
Daeron's violet eyes were calm, his arms hanging naturally as Dark Sister and Red Rain appeared out of thin air.
"Dark Sister?"
Illyrio recognized the longsword and trembled, "You are the Dragon Prince Daeron Targaryen."
Daeron didn't respond, holding Dark Sister level and tilting the blade toward him.
"Heh, I started out as a mercenary, you death-seeking brat!"
Anger rose in Illyrio's heart, and a wicked boldness took hold of him.
He also possessed Life Force and had stepped onto the Gem Sequence.
Setting down the chest containing the Dragon Eggs, he pulled a sharp hand axe from the small of his back.
Without a word, he stepped across the carpet blackened by Dragonfire and launched an attack on the young Targaryen prince.
Daeron's gaze remained unruffled; he tilted his sword tip 45 degrees to the lower left and suddenly flicked it upward.
Clang!
The hand axe aimed at his face snapped in two; the steel blade was severed, the cut as smooth as a mirror.
Split in two along with it was the head of the weapon's wielder.
"Dragon Eggs are not something you can covet."
Daeron didn't even blink as he stepped over Illyrio's corpse and continued forward.
Boom!
Victarion led a squad, carrying a battering ram to strike the manor's gates, finally smashing them open.
"What is dead may never die!!"
He gave an excited roar and charged into the manor holding a greatsword.
By now, the manor was ablaze, servants were fleeing in all directions, and panicked screams echoed everywhere.
Only the castle itself was quiet, without a single sound coming from it.
"Where is the Prince?"
Victarion, not being the brightest, looked around. "Didn't the Prince arrive first?"
"Screee—!"
As soon as he spoke, crimson Dragonfire fell from the sky, shattering the castle gates with a roar and kicking up clouds of fire.
The flames rose violently, accompanied by swirling thick smoke.
A silver-haired figure emerged from within; the flames seemed to intentionally avoid him, not daring to approach even an inch.
Victarion watched, dumbfounded, standing rooted to the spot, not daring to move.
Davos arrived from behind and saw the Prince in the midst of the sea of fire. That serpent-like Red Dragon perched atop the castle, its massive wings spread, looking down at them with fierce, slitted pupils.
"Don't move! Everyone stay back!"
He quickly stopped the soldiers to prevent them from being attacked by the dragon.
These soldiers, composed of Stormlands nobles, defenders of The Gullet, and the Iron Fleet, immediately held their breath, not daring to make a sound as they watched the scene before them.
At this moment, even the Red Dragon above became a mere background character as everyone stared unblinkingly at the silver-haired figure in the sea of fire.
They couldn't believe that someone could be unscathed amidst the fire.
Could it be true, as the rumors said, that the Targaryens had transcended the realm of humanity?
"By my drowned god!"
Victarion rubbed his forehead, doubting if he was even awake.
Daeron appeared composed, his entire being radiating the majesty of a true dragon as he descended the steps step by step.
He held the wooden chest in one hand and a severed head in the other.
He walked out of the flames and toward the crowd.
The soldiers parted one after another, clearing a wide path.
Daeron looked straight ahead and tossed the bloody head aside, his voice solemn. "The war is over. We have won!
"
"Ooh—!!"
Hearing the Prince speak, the soldiers snapped out of their dreamlike state, recognizing the one who emerged from the fire as the Prince himself, and let out a thunderous roar of celebration.
"Screee—!"
Caraxes kept a constant eye on his rider, opening his maw to let out a piercing screech that cast half of Pentos into the shadow of the dragon's roar.
Daeron waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to loot the manor.
He was being very high-profile!
In fact, from the moment he decided on a surprise attack on Pentos, he had no intention of keeping a low profile.
"I've already fought right to their doorstep; did I expect them to be deaf and blind?"
Daeron was extremely calm, without any psychological burden.
He wasn't Rhaegar, who hesitated and looked back and forth before acting.
If there was to be a fight, it would be a fair and square one.
He would use this battle to announce to the Essos and the entire world that the last remaining Dragon King family, the once-flourishing House Targaryen—has returned!!
Whoever dared to covet the Dragon Eggs or the property of the Dragonlord Family would have a dragon at their door.
Dragonstone.
Crack!
Amidst a burst of lightning and thunder, a steady rain began to fall.
Inside the Stone Drum Tower, Lyanna's screams during childbirth echoed.
Counting the months, the time for delivery had arrived.
"May the gods of Old Valyria protect Lyanna and her child."
Rhaegar closed his eyes, praying to the gods in his heart.
He didn't believe in the Seven, nor the old gods; only the gods of Old Valyria commanded any of his trust.
"Ah!!"
Lyanna was drenched in sweat, clutching the bedsheets tightly.
Rhaegar prayed silently.
"Prince, there is news from across the Narrow Sea."
Ser Arthur walked over quietly, his expression somewhat grim.
Rhaegar opened his eyes and called him out to the main hall.
Ser Arthur said, "A letter from a spy in Pentos says that Prince Daeron launched a surprise attack on Pentos two nights ago, killed Magister Illyrio, and reclaimed the clutch of Dragon Eggs."
"What!?"
Rhaegar was instantly shocked, losing his composure for the first time.
At the same time, Lyanna's screams stopped abruptly, replaced by the wailing of a newborn.
"Waa waa waa~~"
Rhaegar turned back in haste and saw the Old Maester coming downstairs with blood-stained hands.
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
He asked urgently.
The Old Maester wiped his sweat with his sleeve and smiled. "It's a boy. Lady Lyanna—"
Before he could finish, Rhaegar hurried upstairs.
On this very night, the wise and martial Prince Rhaegar received one good and one bad piece of news.
The good news: Lyanna had given birth, and it was a boy, very likely the Prince That Was Promised.
The bad news: Daeron had struck first and seized the clutch of Dragon Eggs.
Rhaegar's feelings were complex, even feeling a sense of being at a loss.
Several days later.
King's Landing, Red Keep.
Daeron went quickly and returned quickly, landing his dragon in the Red Keep's courtyard and striding into Maegors Holdfast.
"Prince, you've returned?"
Ser Gerold came out to greet him.
Daeron nodded. "Yes. Has anything happened lately?"
"Yes, yes, Prince."
—
Ser Gerold noticed Daeron had nothing on him and said, "Prince Rhaegar returned once in the interim, then went back to Dragonstone."
Daeron noticed his gaze but didn't press further.
His surprise attack on Pentos and the seizure of the Dragon Eggs were not hidden; the news had already spread.
If a superficial reason was needed, Rhaegar would provide it.
As for the actual reason, it was that Illyrio was hoarding Dragon Eggs, and the House Targaryen forcibly reclaimed them.
As for whether Rhaegar would have any feelings about it?
Daeron: "Why waste words with them! Just take it!"
..
Entering Maegors Holdfast.
"Second Brother, Second Brother!"
Jaehaerys and Viserys ran over, circling around Daeron.
Daeron smiled slightly and took out the wooden chest.
The chest opened to reveal three Dragon Eggs inside.
"Wow, three Dragon Eggs!"
Jaehaerys was overjoyed, jumping up and down as he crowded around his brother.
Viserys was seven years old and recognized the value of the Dragon Eggs, joining in the cheering.
Daeron, about to share the joy, asked, "Where is Shaena?"
"With Mother."
Jaehaerys's smile faded, and he scratched his head.
Viserys, still innocent, said whatever came to mind: "Mother and Big Brother had a fight. Mother is unhappy."
Daeron was startled. He pressed Little Jae's head and asked, "What happened?"
"That Wolf Girl gave birth."
Jaehaerys pouted, clearly disliking Lyanna.
"I'll go take a look."
Daeron changed his route and headed straight for his mother Rhaella's chambers.
Knock, knock, knock!
After he knocked, Shaena came to open the door, welcoming her three brothers inside.
Queen Rhaella's face was cold as she leaned back on a couch covered in velvet cushions, clearly still angry.
"Did Rhaegar upset you?"
Daeron took a look and asked in surprise.
Wasn't Rhaegar his mother's good eldest son?
Queen Rhaella glared at him and said coldly, "He got that woman pregnant and had a child behind everyone's back."
That wasn't why she was angry.
The most infuriating part was that Rhaegar actually had the audacity to tell her that he wanted to restore the family's tradition of polygamy, marry Lyanna, and legitimize that bastard.
Queen Rhaella's face was cold as she spat, "As if that black-haired bastard could ever bear the Targaryen name. In his dreams!"
Daeron clicked his tongue in amazement.
His big brother really was something else; knowing he couldn't get past his father, he came to plead with his mother.
Little did he know, he wouldn't get past his mother either.
Queen Rhaella's eyes were sharp. Seeing the wooden chest in her Second Son's hands, she tilted her head and asked, "The Dragon Eggs you seized?"
"Want to see?"
Daeron, without hesitation, placed the chest on the table.
These three Dragon Eggs were the three brothers from the original work, including Drogon.
Although the Red Comet arrived early and his butterfly wings caused Caraxes's three brothers to hatch first...
But Drogon and his brothers were, after all, the protagonists of an era; perhaps they carried some kind of dynastic destiny.
Daeron had already planned the distribution of the three eggs; no one else was going to get their hands on them.
Queen Rhaella couldn't see clearly from a distance, so Shaena helped her up, and she walked slowly toward the table.
There were three Dragon Eggs in the chest; she picked up one of them.
The colors of the eggs were beautiful.
One was deep green, revealing various bronze flecks as Queen Rhaella turned it; another was pale cream with gold streaks; the last was black, like a midnight ocean, but with vibrant dark red waves and swirls.
"They are Dragon Eggs. You've done well."
Queen Rhaella gradually drifted off, only snapping back after a while to offer a rare word of praise.
Just then, her belly, months into pregnancy, bulged slightly at a single point, causing her to let out an "aiyah."
"Careful."
Daeron reacted quickly, catching and supporting his mother.
Queen Rhaella was startled, clutching the green Dragon Egg; she had nearly fallen.
Daeron helped her back to the couch, saying helplessly, "That was close."
Luckily he was quick, or his mother surely would have been startled and fallen.
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