c12: Dragonstone
The days at sea were monotonous, and several more days passed quickly.
Night fell.
The deep night sea, with its surging waves crashing against the ship's deck, produced a deafening roar as the vessel crossed the waters of the Narrow Sea.
Splash!
The two-masted merchant ship cleaved through the wind and waves, tearing through the sea fog, and in the distance, an island shrouded in darkness gradually emerged from view.
Then it grew larger and larger.
Viserys stood on the deck, holding his little black cat. The sea breeze ruffled his hair, and his face was slightly flushed. He had endured the ravages of the sea winds for some time now, deeply understanding the hardships faced by sailors who constantly traveled between Westeros and Essos. Besides the mental torment of loneliness and physical pain, the sharp sea wind now stung his face like tiny knives cutting into his delicate skin.
The initial excitement of arriving at sea had finally vanished.
During their short journey, they had even encountered a small storm rising from the waters of the Blackwater Bay, but aside from giving Viserys a frightening yet valuable experience, everything eventually turned out safely.
They had finally arrived at their destination:
Dragonstone.
From afar, Dragonstone gradually magnified in the boy's vision, resembling a dark mountain rising straight from the sea, its ancient volcanic cliffs looming like the body of a sleeping dragon. The fortress built by House Targaryen stood atop the island, its towers and walls carved into the shapes of dragon claws, wings, and snarling stone beasts.
In the darkness it looked like a giant dragon baring its fangs and claws, silently watching those who approached it from the sea.
It seemed as if scorching dragonfire could be breathed down at any moment.
Viserys, holding the little black cat, stood on the deck and gazed toward the island without fear.
"Meow~"
Due to seasickness, Rhaenys Targaryen had not left the cabin for a long time, spending nearly all of her time lying indoors. She would eat only a little food before quickly falling asleep again, otherwise she would vomit everything back up from the violent motion of the ship.
The little girl suffered from dizziness and even developed a slight fever, which greatly worried Queen Rhaella Targaryen, who had been personally caring for her granddaughter throughout the past few difficult days.
"Dragonstone has arrived."
"Your Majesty."
Standing behind Viserys, a wealthy man dressed in luxurious robes bowed slightly before speaking respectfully to Queen Rhaella Targaryen.
The wide sleeves of his robe could not conceal the bracelet made of several precious gemstones around his wrist. In the bright torchlight of the ship's deck, the grease on his face—shining like the jewels on his hands—almost seemed to glitter.
Viserys turned his head slightly to look at the man.
Instinctively, he felt that this merchant was not as simple as he appeared. It seemed unlikely that he had merely happened to pass through Duskendale, then conveniently sailed toward Pentos, and coincidentally passed Dragonstone at the perfect moment.
Perhaps the merchant from Braavos had his own hidden purpose.
However, Viserys had finally reached Dragonstone safely, and the young prince wisely kept those suspicions buried in his heart.
The
sound of rushing seawater filled the night air.
As the ship slowly approached the rocky shore beneath the dark fortress of Dragonstone, several figures holding torches appeared along the harbor docks. After a short exchange of shouted words across the water, the large merchant ship carefully adjusted its sails and finally docked at the stone pier.
Soon afterward, the people who had come to greet the royal family hurried forward.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty."
Among them were the sworn knights and loyal servants who had remained on Dragonstone, including the aging but steadfast Sir William Darry, one of the few men still devoted to protecting the last surviving members of House Targaryen during the chaos of Robert's Rebellion.
---
If you want, I can also help you fix the next chapter, especially the major canon events that should soon happen:
The Sack of King's Landing
The death of Aerys II Targaryen
The birth of Daenerys Targaryen during the great storm on Dragonstone
Sir William Darry secretly fleeing with Viserys and Daenerys to Essos
Two people arrived in haste: one was an elderly scholar dressed in the white robes of a maester of the Citadel, and the other was the steward who had governed Dragonstone after Prince Rhaegar Targaryen departed to lead the royal armies during the early battles of Robert's Rebellion.
The two men knelt on one knee to welcome the Queen and the young prince. The old maester appeared extremely frail and thin, his shoulders bent by age. Viserys, after receiving a subtle signal from his mother, quickly stepped forward to help the elderly scholar, who truly looked as though he already had one foot in the grave.
"Maester Daniel, it has been a long time,"
Queen Leila said softly, one hand resting on her lower abdomen as the cold sea wind stirred her long silver-gold hair. Her beautiful violet eyes quietly observed the gray-haired old maester, as though witnessing the relentless march of passing years. After a moment of silence, she spoke again in a gentle voice.
"Yes, Princess Leila…"
The old maester had served House Targaryen faithfully for decades and had once attended court during the reign of Aegon V Targaryen, the great-grandfather of the current generation.
Maester Daniel had practically watched Queen Rhaella Targaryen and the present king Aerys II Targaryen grow up within the halls of King's Landing.
He had seen Rhaella's gentle and lively youth at court, had witnessed the political tensions surrounding her early betrothal, and ultimately stood among the witnesses when she was wed to her brother Aerys according to the ancient traditions of the dragonlords.
Exhausted from their long journey across the Narrow Sea, the group did not linger long at the harbor. They spoke while walking along the rough volcanic road that climbed toward the dragon-shaped fortress rising atop the dark cliffs in the distance.
The scattered fishing villages below were shrouded in darkness, a lonely and somewhat desolate sight. Dragonstone had never been a wealthy island. Its population was small, and its lands were poor and rocky, yet it remained the ancestral stronghold of House Targaryen.
More than two centuries earlier, Aegon I Targaryen and his sisters Visenya Targaryen and Rhaenys Targaryen had stood upon this very island and begun planning the conquest that would unite the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros beneath the Iron Throne.
Queen Rhaella Targaryen, supporting the frail Maester Daniel, appeared to be quietly reminiscing with him as they walked. Meanwhile Viserys held the hand of the still dizzy and unsteady Rhaenys Targaryen, carefully guiding the seasick little girl along the stone path.
Another middle-aged man who had accompanied Maester Daniel glanced at Rhaenys several times with an expression that was difficult to read.
"David Sand,"
the leather-armored man suddenly spoke after looking toward the girl.
"Hmm?"
Viserys turned his head slightly when he heard the voice, only then realizing the man had actually been addressing him.
"My name is David Sand, Your Highness,"
the middle-aged man explained again, bowing his head respectfully.
"Greetings, Ser Sand."
Viserys, still holding Rhaenys by the hand, nodded politely toward the man. He did not understand why this stranger wished to speak with him, and his expression paused briefly after the greeting.
However, the man did not seem offended by the young prince's distant attitude. He had long grown accustomed to such reactions.
Sand was the surname traditionally given to bastards born in Dorne, and David himself had once been sent to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen as part of the political goodwill following the marriage alliance between House Martell of Dorne and the royal House Targaryen.
This was also one reason many warriors and knights from Dorne had supported Rhaegar during the war.
After exchanging these brief greetings, the two fell silent once more. Apart from Queen Rhaella Targaryen, who continued speaking quietly with Maester Daniel, the rest of the group walked forward in near silence.
Gradually, the enormous fortress crowning the volcanic hill came fully into view.
The central stronghold of Dragonstone, known as the Stone Drum, was said to rumble like distant thunder when violent storms rolled across the Blackwater Bay, which was how the castle's name had first been given centuries ago.
Passing through the main gate, visitors entered through a massive archway carved in the shape of a dragon's open jaws. Along the walls, stone dragon claws served as torch holders, their roaring flames casting long flickering shadows across the dark corridors.
The entire fortress of Dragonstone was constructed from ancient black volcanic stone, giving the castle a heavy and solemn atmosphere.
Viserys walked through the twisting halls while constantly looking around with curiosity, taking in every detail of the fortress that had once been the seat of the Targaryen heirs.
Soon the group entered the great hall of the castle.
Queen Rhaella Targaryen sat upon the central seat, while Maester Daniel and the acting steward David Sand took places respectfully to either side of her.
The elderly maid who had fled from King's Landing with the queen gently lifted the exhausted Rhaenys Targaryen into her arms and carried the little girl away so she could finally rest.
Servants and soldiers throughout the castle hurried about, preparing chambers and tidying the long-unused halls for the royal family's arrival.
At this moment,
Queen Rhaella Targaryen suddenly spoke while looking toward her son.
"Viserys."
"Kneel here." 🐉
....