Chapter 215 Brothers, Walk Forward!
Rhaegar looked at the ruins of Harrenhal's towers and chuckled softly. "Yes, that's the Hand's castle. I've been a guest there a few times."
Harrenhal lay in the heart of the Riverlands, surrounded by fertile lands. Rhaegar had a good relationship with Lord Tully of Riverrun and occasionally stopped at Harrenhal to rest for the night.
"Will we be guests?" Helena asked quietly, tilting her head.
Rhaegar ruffled her hair and smiled. "Dreamfyre has caused quite a stir. We must return to King's Landing first."
"Oh," Helaena nodded, her large eyes still fixed on Harrenhal.
Harrenhal covered a vast area with five towering spires. Despite being partially melted by Balerion's fire, the towers were still taller than most castles. The siblings could see its outline clearly from the Isle of Faces.
"Fire!" Helena exclaimed suddenly, her expression distant.
Rhaegar, not yet sensing anything wrong, asked, "What?"
Helaena murmured, "The warhorses are charging."
"Helaena, can you hear me?" Rhaegar knelt and waved his hand in front of her eyes. He recognized this strange condition - Helaena often fell into prophetic trances.
She blinked twice and answered blankly, "Brother, I can hear you."
Rhaegar gently held her shoulders. "What did you just see?"
"I don't remember," she replied innocently, tilting her head in confusion.
Rhaegar hugged her tightly and whispered, "It's okay, just forget about it."
Helaena rested her chin on his shoulder and murmured an uncertain "Oh."
Over the years, Helaena's prophecies were usually quickly forgotten, probably a protective mechanism to shield her mind from overwhelming visions.
Lifting her up, Rhaegar said, "Let's get back to King's Landing."
Helaena nodded, unusually quiet. Dreamfyre, having drunk from the lake, rested on the shore, elegantly swishing its tail.
"Brother, I want to ride Dreamfyre," Helaena declared, staring wide-eyed at her dragon.
Rhaegar frowned. "Are you sure? Dreamfyre doesn't have a saddle yet."
"I won't fall off," Helaena said confidently, puffing out her small chest. She wanted to ride her dragon back to King's Landing and show everyone she was a true dragon rider.
"Alright, hold on to the back scales and communicate with Dreamfyre," Rhaegar advised, choosing to trust her.
All Targaryen children had to tame their dragons. A saddle was helpful but not essential. He remembered when he was six, riding Cannibal without a saddle all over the world.
"Brother, wait until I take off, then follow me."
Helaena broke free of Rhaegar's embrace and ran toward Dreamfyre.
"Roar..."
Dreamfyre roared, its eyes fixed on its rider, waiting for her.
With nimble hands and feet, Helaena climbed onto the dragon's back, using one of its wings as a foothold.
"Dreamfyre, let's go," she commanded, her small face set with determination.
Dreamfyre flapped her wings vigorously and took to the air. But instead of heading back to King's Landing, she circled God's Eye Lake. After decades of confinement, Dreamfyre wanted to explore the familiar area where it had once lived.
Lying on the dragon's back, Helaena watched in frustration as Dreamfyre ignored her commands. Her cheeks puffed out in anger.
Below, Rhaegar mounted Cannibal, ready to intervene. It was normal for a newly tamed adult dragon to be disobedient after decades in captivity. Cannibal, too, seemed ready to help.
Suddenly, a fierce cry pierced the air.
"Dreamfyre, either listen to me or throw me in the lake!"
Rhaegar looked up in surprise. Helaena had climbed onto Dreamfyre's head, clutching the dragon's horns and shouting with determination. Her face was flushed with rage.
"Roar..."
Dreamfyre turned sharply, almost throwing Helaena off. But instead of shrieking, Helaena shouted louder, "Dreamfyre, obey my command!"
She showed no fear, using her defiant spirit to assert control over the dragon.
"Roar..."
Reluctantly, Dreamfyre changed direction and flew toward King's Landing.
Helaena laughed and rubbed her face against the dragon's horn in triumph.
Rhaegar, witnessing this display of bravery, smiled. "Cannibal, let's follow them."
"Roar..."
Cannibal roared softly, its hind feet leaving distinctive marks on the ground as it spread its wings and took off.
For the first time, Rhaegar noticed that Cannibal had a habit of marking its territory, a trait he hadn't observed before.
...
King's Landing, Red Keep.
Alicent found her husband, her face etched with worry. "Viserys, Helaena was taken by that blue dragon."
Viserys embraced her, his voice soothing. "Don't worry, Helaena has been in contact with Dreamfyre. She may have successfully tamed the dragon."
"But that dragon has a violent temper. Rhaegar was hurt by it once," Alicent said, leaning into his arms, jittery. She wasn't a Targaryen by birth and had been educated in the Sept of Oldtown and the Faith of the Seven, which instilled in her an inexplicable fear of dragons.
"Rhaegar went after her. He will protect his sister," Viserys replied with a confident smile. He had faith in his eldest son's abilities. Cannibal, the black dragon, was so fierce that all the dragons in the Dragonpit feared it. Dreamfyre wouldn't dare defy Cannibal.
Alicent looked sad, her head buried in her husband's chest. She had broken with her father and now relied solely on Viserys in the vast city of King's Landing. The two of them cuddled as time slowly passed.
"Roar..."
Suddenly, a dragon's roar echoed across King's Landing, reverberating through half the city.
Alicent hastily broke from Viserys' embrace and looked out the window. The sky was a canvas of blue and white, with two dragons, one black and one blue, dancing between the clouds, chasing each other as if in a ballet.
Dreamfyre's eyes were filled with vigilance as it quickly swooped down, heading straight for the Dragonpit on the hill. Cannibal hovered overhead, casting a massive shadow over the ground.
"Bless the Seven Gods, my child has returned," Alicent whispered, clasping her hands in silent prayer.
That night, Viserys organized a feast to honor his youngest daughter's successful taming of a dragon.
...
The next day, a meeting convened in the Throne Room. The advisers of the Small Council were present, along with Queen Alicent and Lady Jeyne. Rhaegar and his siblings—Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron—were also present.
The Small Council, led by Lyonel Strong, stood on the left side of the hall. Rhaegar and Rhaenyra, accompanied by their siblings, stood on the right. Alicent and Jeyne stood beside Rhaenyra.
When everyone was assembled, the Kingsguard, Ser Steffon Darklyn, announced loudly, "An audience with the envoy of Dorne!"
As the doors opened, Ser Setyl Dayne strode into the hall. He first looked at Viserys on the Iron Throne and bowed respectfully, "Your Grace."
Then he bowed slightly to Alicent, "Your Grace," though his eyes darted toward the children surrounding Rhaegar. Helaena bit her lower lip, her gaze sharp and wary. Aemond, looking timid, stood protectively in front of his sister. Daeron, the youngest, peeked curiously from behind Rhaegar.
Viserys, watching the scene from the throne, felt both pleased and remorseful at the unity of his children. He cleared his throat and said, "Lyonel, make the announcement."
"Yes, Your Grace." Lyonel straightened his posture, his round belly protruding, and declared proudly, "Envoy, the king refuses to marry the princess."
Setyl frowned. "Why? A marriage would bring peace and benefit both sides."
"Princess Helena successfully tamed her dragon yesterday and expressed to His Grace that she does not wish to marry in a land as far away as Dorne," Lyonel explained, glancing at the envoy. "His Grace is a forgiving and merciful monarch. The princess will remain in King's Landing, enjoying the care of her parents and brothers."
This was the reasoning Rhaegar had devised on Helaena's behalf. A Targaryen with a dragon was far more valuable than one without. Helaena's success in taming Dreamfyre had greatly increased her worth. If she didn't want to marry, she could simply ride her dragon away, and no one could stop her.
Setyl's face darkened. "Marriage is an important matter between two lands. How can it be changed for personal reasons?"
The Targaryens had two princesses. If the eldest princess was too high-ranking to marry and the youngest too young to marry, where did that leave Dorne? Would this not insult Prince Qoren Martell?
Rhaegar stepped forward with a smile. "Envoy, I heard that Prince Qoren has a daughter?"
Setyl's eyes flickered. "Yes, Princess Aliandra is just three years old."
"What a wonderful name. She will surely be a beauty in the future," Rhaegar praised before changing his tone. "If Prince Qoren is sincere about the marriage, he could marry his daughter to a Targaryen, facilitating the union between our houses."
"But Prince, Princess Aliandra is only three years old!" Setyl objected.
"It doesn't matter," Rhaegar said. "We can arrange an engagement now and marry when she's old enough."
Setyl sneered. "You're already thirteen. Can you really wait ten years?"
Rhaegar remained indifferent. "Princess Arianne is young enough to be a perfect match for one of my brothers."
With that, he pulled the confused Aemond and Daeron, who was hiding behind him, and pushed them forward.
"Brother... brother..." Aemond's face flushed red with embarrassment. He hadn't expected to be thrust into the spotlight.
Rhaegar squinted at him and said sternly, "Straighten your back. Show your royal demeanor to the envoy. You might have the chance to marry a Dornish princess."
Aemond, his face bitter, obediently lifted his chest and head, not daring to defy his elder brother.
Rhaegar ignored his reluctance. Younger siblings were there to be used when necessary. With Aegon sent to Stepstones, Aemond and Daeron had to be put to good use. They were all political assets created for him by his "good" stepmother, Alicent.
(Word count: 1,599)
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