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After returning to the Stone Drum Tower, Jacaerys told Daemon how Vermax had defeated the Cannibal and then devoured its remains.
It was never a matter that could remain hidden for long. There were too many survivors in the town of Saltpine, and the massive skeletal remains of the slain dragon still lay exposed for all to witness.
Daemon remained silent for a long while after hearing the account. In the end, he concluded that Vermax's transformation was a result of ancestral blood awakening within his lineage.
That explanation was not without precedent, as it was consistent with the Dragonkeepers previous evaluations of Caraxes.
Both its fearsome appearance and overwhelming strength could very well be attributed to such an ancestral reversion.
Back in the days of the now-vanished Valyrian Freehold, there had been accounts of such reptilian dragons undergoing a form of reversion, turning into a serpentine and highly dangerous variant.
These dragons were known for their ferocity, speed, and prolonged, devastating bursts of dragonfire.
One of the original forty dragonlord families had even specialized in breeding and hatching this kind of dragon. To them, these creatures were a weapon, a blade forged specifically for the conquest of Essos.
Seeing that Daemon had already taken the initiative to offer such an explanation, Jacaerys immediately nodded and agreed with this theory.
Soon after, Daemon advised him to go meet with Rhaenyra once more.
He told him to install the dragon saddle quickly and return to the Stepstones as soon as possible.
Daemon understood the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms far better than Jacaerys. He also knew just how powerful Queen Alicent's faction had become.
A small common folk town destroyed during a battle between dragons might seem trivial, but her faction would surely seize upon it as a point of attack and use it to stir public opinion.
As long as Jacaerys, the King of the Narrow Sea, returned to the Stepstones, their commands and any punishments they might issue would amount to nothing more than empty threats.
Jacaerys had no objections to Daemon's suggestion.
His path, alongside Rhaenyra's, had diverged long ago. Forcing her to align with him now would only deepen the rift between them.
Rather than wasting time on futile arguments, it was better for them to each walk their chosen paths and let the final outcome speak for itself.
Furthermore, his plans in Myr had yet to conclude. The neighboring cities of Lys and Volantis were also watching from the shadows, eager to seize any opportunity to move.
Thanks to the Dragonkeeper's tireless work, within just three days, a new dragon saddle tailored for the current form of Vermax had been completed.
After bidding a brief farewell to Rhaenyra, along with Rhaena, Joffrey, and other close family members, Jacaerys mounted Vermax and left Dragonstone without further delay.
---
In King's Landing, within the study room atop the Tower of the Hand inside the Red Keep.
CREAK!
Without any knock to announce the visitor, the door to the study was abruptly pushed open from the outside.
The King's Hand, Otto Hightower, who had been writing diligently, raised his head and glanced at the intruder.
His tone remained calm as he remarked, "Did your mother never teach you the etiquette expected of nobles?"
Aemond, wearing a black eyepatch over his left eye and a bandage over his left ear, closed the door behind him without pause.
He walked directly up to the desk, planted both hands on the table, and replied, "When in front of outsiders, I will always be a prince of noble bearing, strict in etiquette and composed in demeanor. But in front of you, I have no need to maintain a false image. The only things you ever cared about in me were not manners or courtesy. Isn't that right, dear grandfather?"
Upon hearing those words, Ser Otto's lips curved into a subtle smile.
He set down the quill in his hand and replied meaningfully, "Today's Small Council meeting was particularly lively. The Lord of Boggs from Crackclaw Point came to present a grievance, bringing a commoner with him as a witness."
"He claimed that Jacaerys's dragon engaged in a fierce battle with another dragon two days ago, during which his town was reduced to ashes. What's more, the dragon even attacked his eldest son, Mortimer Boggs, who now lies gravely wounded."
Aemond leaned slightly forward, his eyes narrowing as the words sunk in. "Hm? So Jacaerys flew all the way from the Stepstones to Crackclaw Point to fight another dragon? I just saw Aegon earlier, so it couldn't have been him. Could it have been a wild dragon? Grandfather, you didn't summon me here just to tell me this news, did you?"
Aemond, always quick-witted, immediately sensed that the matter must be connected to the man he hated most.
But Otto Hightower was not the kind of person to ever directly state his intentions.
He smiled faintly and continued, "Ever since Maelor's death, Helaena has been shutting herself away in her chambers, speaking only to herself, lost in her grief. Meanwhile, the murderers, Jacaerys and Daemon, live their days in comfort and ease, as though nothing has changed. And let us not forget what you have lost—your eye, your ear."
His words were a cold, cutting reminder, each one landing like a slow, deliberate strike. "Tell me, Aemond, do you think this is fair?"
"It is not fair at all!"
Aemond's bond with Helaena ran deep, and at those final words, his hand moved instinctively to touch his missing ear.
"Your mother has already secured the loyalty of many noble houses across the Seven Kingdoms. But apart from the Lannisters, the Lord of the Westerlands, few of the great houses have pledged their banners."
Ser Otto paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing. "Even though Rhaenyra remains distant on Dragonstone, she is still the officially named heir to the throne. Which means we must find a way to damage her reputation. And there is no better means than through the brutality of Jacaerys."
As he spoke, Ser Otto slowly rose to his feet and strolled over to Aemond's side, lowering his voice as he continued,
"The destruction of a common folk town, in itself, will not sway the tides. But if the ferocious Jacaerys were to fly to the Boggs family's castle tonight and reduce it to ashes, leaving no survivors, then things would be quite different."
"Grandfather, do you mean…"
"Say no more. I am merely speculating aloud, without any deeper meaning. You, for example, have been with me in the Tower of the Hand all day, diligently studying the politics and lineages of noble houses. You have not left once. Moreover, the cavalry unit I dispatched this morning to investigate the scene of the incident has ridden hard and fast. They will arrive at the Boggs castle before nightfall."
"I understand, Grandfather. But my appearance is far too distinctive. There is no way for me to leave the Red Keep without being seen."
Aemond gave a solemn nod, then pointed to his missing eye and ear with a trace of mockery in his voice.
"Ever since those spies infiltrated the Red Keep, I ordered Larys to conduct a thorough investigation of every corner. As it happens, beneath this very Tower of the Hand, there is a secret passage leading close to the outer wall."
"Is that so? Then I can hardly wait to continue learning more about the noble houses of the Seven Kingdoms."
As he spoke, Aemond's lips curled into a cruel smile.
---
At the same time, within the queen's bedchamber in Maegor's Holdfast.
Queen Alicent wore a warm and gracious smile as she spoke to the young woman seated across from her.
The girl was a bold and seductive young woman, clad in a revealing outfit that accentuated her alluring figure.
"Princess Aliandra, I am willing to accept Prince Qoren's terms. More than that, I am prepared to offer the entire Stepstones as part of our agreement," Queen Alicent said calmly, her voice soft yet commanding.
Upon hearing those words, Aliandra Martell, (introduced in Chapter 36), immediately rose to her feet and bowed respectfully with visible excitement.
"Thank you, Your Grace, for your generosity. The Martell family shall forever serve at your command."
Queen Alicent's smile deepened, but she gently corrected her.
"No, not at my command. You shall serve for the good of King Viserys and Prince Aegon."
"Of course, for the sake of King Viserys and Prince Aegon."
Aliandra paused momentarily in surprise at those words, but then quickly nodded and voiced her agreement.
Now that the alliance had been sealed, Aliandra did not linger any further. She stood, bowed once more, and quietly took her leave.
As she exited into the corridor, she gently touched her right cheek with her fingers, her eyes glinting with the fire of vengeance as she whispered to herself, "Jacaerys Velaryon. One day, I will stand before you and ask... will you choose to die kneeling in comfort, or standing in agony?"
The following morning, a raven sent by a noble house from Crackclaw Point arrived in King's Landing bearing shocking news.
The ancestral seat of House Boggs had been reduced to smoldering ruins by an unknown dragon in the dead of night. Not a single soul had survived.
Just two days earlier, Jacaerys, known throughout the realm as the so-called Scourge of the Realm, had set the town of Saltpine ablaze during a dragon clash within the lands of House Boggs, leaving Lord Boggs' eldest son grievously wounded.
Upon hearing the devastating report, Lord Boggs, who had remained in the Red Keep, coughed up blood and collapsed on the spot. When he finally regained consciousness, he and the sole survivor of Saltpine, a man named Nat, tearfully and furiously leveled grave accusations against the Scourge of the Realm.
After intense deliberation, the small council reached a resolution. Acting in the name of King Viserys, Queen Alicent formally issued a royal summons commanding Jacaerys Velaryon, King of the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones, to return to King's Landing and answer the charges brought forth by Lord Boggs.
This royal decree was dispatched not only to the Stepstones but also to Dragonstone.
At that very moment, however, Jacaerys, who had stopped at Driftmark to visit Baela, had only just returned to the isle of Lanark.
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[Chapter End's]
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