Chapter 214: Chapter 214: God’s Eye Lake, Isle of Faces
Helaena's command was tinged with fear, her voice trembling, but her courage was undeniable in that moment.
"Roar..."
Dreamfyre responded with a powerful roar, propelling itself forward on its hind legs and flapping its massive wings. The sudden gust of wind stirred the dust around them. With a few mighty strides, the dragon covered a significant distance.
The elderly Dragonkeeper, alarmed by the sudden movement, shouted to the other keepers at the entrance of the Dragonpit, "Open the gate!"
He had witnessed Targaryens taming dragons before and understood that he must not interfere with the bond forming between Helaena and Dreamfyre. Yet, he also knew that they couldn't allow Dreamfyre to wreak havoc inside the Dragonpit.
The Dragonkeepers, sensing the urgency, quickly obeyed and opened the massive gates.
Boom!
Dreamfyre surged forward, its wings fully extended, and with a powerful leap, it burst out of the confines where it had been imprisoned for decades.
"Roar!"
A mighty roar echoed throughout King's Landing as the azure-scaled dragon ascended into the sky, free once more.
"Dreamfyre, fly up!" Helaena, her eyes still tightly shut, repeated her command, unaware of their rapid ascent.
Dreamfyre unleashed a spectacular burst of blue and orange dragonfire, lighting up the sky like fireworks.
"Fly, Dreamfyre!" Helaena continued to shout, mistaking the dragonfire's heat for the fever of excitement.
"Roar..." Dreamfyre's roar carried a note of recognition. In its eyes, Helaena's courage mirrored that of its previous rider, Rhaena.
If only the dragon could express it, that feeling might be called "courage."
Soaring above King's Landing, Dreamfyre exhaled flames repeatedly, venting the frustration and sorrow it had accumulated over the years.
After circling the city for a while, Dreamfyre turned its gaze northwest. With a powerful flick of its wings, it surged out of King's Landing and into the clouds, carrying Helaena on an unforgettable flight.
...
The commotion caused by Dreamfyre's flight startled all of King's Landing.
Rhaegar was meeting with Syrio to examine an intercepted letter when he heard the dragon's roar. He looked out the window in amazement.
Through the glass he saw the massive blue dragon hovering over the city, spewing dragonfire.
"Dreamfyre!?" Rhaegar exclaimed, stunned to see the dragon out of the Dragonpit.
As Dreamfyre flew closer to the Red Keep, he noticed a small figure atop the dragon's head. With his sharp eyesight, Rhaegar realized it was Helaena.
"Oh no, she didn't even put on a saddle before getting on the dragon's back!" Panic seized Rhaegar. He immediately abandoned his meeting with Syrio and rushed out of the room.
Moments later, he pushed past the guards trying to stop him and dashed out of the Red Keep's gate.
"Roar !"
A deep dragon roar resonated from the depths of the Dragonpit. A dark shadow burst from the crypt and flew out through the still-open gate.
Cannibal, with its green eyes scanning below, soared high into the sky. Spotting its target, the dragon swooped down toward the Red Keep's gate.
Boom!
The dragon landed, sending up a cloud of smoke and dust.
"Cannibal, catch up with Dreamfyre!" Rhaegar shouted as he emerged from the swirling dust, quickly and nimbly climbing onto the dragon's back.
"Roar..."
Cannibal unfurled its wings and took off, demonstrating its agility.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side:
Dreamfyre soared through the clouds, roaring with excitement, celebrating its return to the sky.
"Dreamfyre, you're flying too fast," Helaena called out, her voice tinged with nervousness. She had finally opened her eyes and was looking down at the billowing clouds below, gripping Dreamfyre's horn tightly.
After the dragon had flown out of King's Landing, the moistness of the clouds had woken her. Now, Helaena's heart was a mix of excitement and fear. She wanted Dreamfyre to take her on a grand tour of the skies, but her hands and feet were numb, barely able to maintain her grip.
"Roar..." Dreamfyre let out a playful growl and shook its head, causing Helaena to clench her teeth in fright. Finally free from its confinement, Dreamfyre was determined to enjoy its flight.
Helaena, though afraid, was also filled with a newfound courage. Dreamfyre sensed this and, with a flash of pride in its eyes, sped up, showing off its agility with impressive maneuvers through the clouds. Despite decades of confinement, Dreamfyre moved with the grace and speed of a much younger dragon.
Helaena, however, was struggling. The dragon's rapid twists and turns made her dizzy and nauseous, but Dreamfyre showed no signs of slowing down.
"I'm not afraid. Brother said I can do it. I'll be fine," she whispered to herself, pressing her cheeks against the dragon's horn.
She hoped someone would realize she had been taken by Dreamfyre and come to her rescue. After about ten minutes, a gust of wind signaled another presence in the sky.
Helaena, drowsy from the flight, looked up to see a dark dragon shadow above her. The massive form of Cannibal loomed overhead, blocking out the sun.
"Helaena!" Rhaegar's voice rang out, calling her name.
"Brother... brother!" Helaena cried out in relief, spotting her brother's tall figure riding Cannibal.
"Hold on to the dragon's horn. Dreamfyre will be landing soon," Rhaegar shouted, his voice full of reassurance.
"Okay, brother," Helaena responded obediently, gripping the horn tighter, her light purple eyes fixed on Rhaegar.
Seeing his sister was safe, Rhaegar sighed with relief. He had feared she might fall from Dreamfyre's back. Dreamfyre was no ordinary young dragon; it was a full-grown dragon with a fierce temper, capable of causing great harm if not properly managed.
He remembered his own struggles trying to tame it, so he marveled at Helaena's bravery.
"Roar..."
At the sight of Cannibal, Dreamfyre was startled and roared shrilly, accelerating its flight. The massive dragon above was not to be trifled with. Cannibal's odor, a fishy scent mixed with the stench of dragon remains, filled the air.
Cannibal glared down at the blue dragon, its pupils flashing with disdain. It had abstained from dragon meat for years, but it still remembered the taste.
After about ten minutes, the two dragons lowered their altitude, revealing a large, wide lake below. The turquoise water rippled as a black swan swam by. In the center of the lake stood a lush, green island.
"Roar..."
Dreamfyre roared excitedly, circling the lake. The sound echoed, sending the black swans into a panic. They flapped their wings and fled, causing a flurry of white splashes.
Dreamfyre skimmed low over the water, creating waves on the surface. Helaena looked around with curiosity, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.
Finally, Dreamfyre landed on the island in the middle of the lake. Cannibal, hovering above, followed and landed nearby, its gaze eerily fixed on Dreamfyre.
Rhaegar quickly dismounted from Cannibal and ran toward Dreamfyre. "Helaena, come down here," he called.
As Dreamfyre drank from the lake, Helaena let go of its horns and stood up, trembling. Hearing her brother's call, she asked nervously, "Do I jump down?"
Rhaegar, taken aback by the question, smiled wryly. "Slide off the dragon's back. I'll catch you."
Helaena obediently climbed from Dreamfyre's head to its spine and slid down along its tail. Rhaegar stood ready below, catching her as she descended.
As soon as Helaena was in his arms, she wrapped herself around him like an octopus, tears streaming down her face. "Brother... wow, wow, wow..."
While she had managed to maintain some composure on Dreamfyre's back, the fear overwhelmed her once she was on the ground and she felt a tightness in her stomach.
Splat...
Rhaegar slapped her lightly on the buttocks and said, "Why are you crying? Riding a dragon in secret - do you know how dangerous that is?"
The scene of Helaena taming Dreamfyre reminded him of his own experiences with Cannibal. It was always the same: ride the dragon or risk falling to your death.
"I'm sorry... I know I was wrong," Helaena sniffled, not quite sure what she had done wrong, but admitting her guilt anyway. She had wanted to prove herself by taming the dragon, and she had succeeded, even if Dreamfyre wasn't completely obedient yet.
Seeing her so upset, Rhaegar's anger softened. He patted her gently on the back and encouraged her, "Don't cry. You have successfully ridden a dragon; you are already a dragon rider."
"Really?" Helaena asked, her eyes wide and tearful.
"Of course," Rhaegar nodded. "Dreamfyre recognizes you. From now on, you are its master."
"I'm awesome," Helaena whispered, trying to hold back her tears.
Rhaegar chuckled. "Yes, you are powerful. A true Targaryen."
"Well, I'm as powerful as you," Helaena said, nodding vigorously, her messy hair shaking around her face.
Rhaegar hugged her with one arm and gently brushed the hair from her face with the other, feeling a surge of pride. His little sister was growing up.
"Come down, I'll help you tie your hair," he said.
He set her down and gathered her thick, long hair, tying it back into a neat bun with a thin rope. Helaena squinted in enjoyment, then asked, "Brother, where are we?"
"God's Eye Lake, on the Isle of Faces," Rhaegar replied, surveying their surroundings.
Helaena blinked and pointed towards a distant structure, "Is that the Hand of the King's castle?"
Rhaegar looked in the direction she indicated. Through the dense vegetation, he could make out the ruins of a dark tower. He knew it was the largest castle in Westeros—Harrenhal.
Harrenhal had been built by Harren the Black, who spent 40 years constructing it, exhausting countless enslaved captives. Rumor had it that Harren mixed human blood with mud and ash to build the castle.
At the beginning of the Conquest, Harrenhal had just been completed. When Aegon the Conqueror attacked, Harren the Black hid inside with his children, believing the dragons couldn't breach his fortress. But Aegon flew over Harrenhal on Balerion, the Black Dread, and unleashed dragonfire hot enough to melt stone. The five towers of Harrenhal were incinerated, and Harren and his descendants were buried alive.
Over the past hundred years, Harrenhal had seen many owners. After Rhaena Targaryen's death, the castle was left uninhabited until Jaehaerys I gave it to House Strong. The current lord of Harrenhal was Lyonel Strong.
(Word count: 1,705)
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