Chapter 56: Chapter 55
Ancalagon was a name that commanded an awestruck silence from any Dragonlord. He was the dragon of Kaelarys Baelaeron, a man whose name was forever immortalized in the annals of history for the legend he had left behind.
Since the death of Kaelarys Baelaeron, Ancalagon had not found a new rider.
And without a rider, Ancalagon did not move away from Azorath and continued to guard the city. Therefore, only myths surrounded his mighty figure, rumors whispered in the Vaylrian Freehold. But now, seeing him from afar for the first time, she began to understand why few ever mustered the courage to scheme against Azorath.
He was a force of nature, a living embodiment of the gods if she had ever seen one. As long as his shadow hung over the city, she doubted that anyone would dare to try to conquer Azorath.
Even without the city walls and the army stationed in the imposing city, Azorath was an impregnable fortress.
As she looked around, she had to smile inwardly. The city was truly impressive.
She could understand why House Baelaeron had moved their main seat here. For those who sought glory and honor in the capital of the most powerful empire in the world, it was a very controversial decision that received little approval.
There were many who mocked them behind closed doors and wondered why a house as old and powerful as that of the Baelaerons was moving away from the center of power. But few dared to express their derision openly.
Yet it was precisely this decision that brought her here.
She was not here to cheer or condemn the decisions of the past, but to understand them.
The reason for her restlessness lay in what had happened in the last few weeks. She had had a dream that shook her to the core. But it was no ordinary dream - it was a dragon dream, and what it revealed to her shattered everything she thought she knew about the world.
At first, she couldn't believe it, but with every day that passed, the dream burned itself deeper into her memory. She couldn't shake it off, it haunted her thoughts and left her no peace.
She needed answers, certainty, to put an end to her tormenting doubts. So she confided in her father and mother and told them about the dream. To her relief, her father believed her. Her mother, however, was furious when she heard about it. To her, it was pure nonsense. "Vaylria is for eternity," she had said with conviction.
She could understand her mother - the idea that her beloved home could fall was unbearable. But at the same time, she couldn't ignore the fact that it was a possibility, however unimaginable it might seem.
"I will organize a carriage for us, Lady Daenys," Haelor Velaryon said and set off without another word.
Haelor Velaryon was a loyal friend of her family and accompanied her on this journey to Azorath. He was also the main reason why she had not flown here on her dragon, but had chosen the more arduous route by ship.
The journey had been longer and more uncomfortable, but that didn't bother her. On the contrary, it gave her the opportunity to organize her thoughts and become clear about what she really hoped for from the Baelaerons.
Another reason was her uncertainty as to whether she would even be able to land near Azorath with her beloved dragon Balerion. She had heard countless stories of other dragons not even being able to get close to this mysterious city.
It seemed that Azorath was becoming more and more of a place of wonders.
After a short time, Haelor returned, and with him a carriage that shone with sheer luxury. Daenys looked at it, both amazed and impressed.
"Where did you get this carriage so quickly, and such a splendid one at that?" she asked in amazement.
"It seems that House Baelaeron places great value on first impressions," Haelor replied with a slight smile. "I only had to mention who the carriage was for, and it was made available to me without further ado."
"You didn't have to pay anything for it?" she asked incredulously.
"Not a single coin," he confirmed.
Unwilling to waste any more time, she took Haelor's offered hand and climbed into the carriage. As expected, the interior was as lavish as the exterior had promised.
As she sat down on one of the upholstered seats, she was nevertheless caught by an unexpected surprise. She literally sank into the soft cushions, which took away any tension. But the most astonishing thing was the almost imperceptible glide of the carriage as it began to move.
Although she had seen the immaculately smooth roads outside, she had expected to feel the usual jolts and bumps that came with even the best roads. But there was none of that in this carriage. It was as if she was gliding along on a cloud, without the slightest trace of jolting or bumping.
She noticed the same surprise on Haelor's face.
"Wow, I could practically fall asleep here!" he said as he leaned even deeper into the comfortable seat.
"Incredible indeed," she agreed, letting her gaze wander around the luxurious interior of the carriage. "Perhaps the Baelaerons really do have what I'm looking for."
"And what would that be?" asked Haelor, his curiosity piqued.
"Certainty."
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Argon Baelaeron sat on the throne on which his father and his father before him sat and he still didn't feel quite comfortable sitting there. Sure, it was comfortable to sit in it, his great-great-grandfather had seen to that, but somehow it didn't feel right to sit in it when he was nothing more than a puppet with no real power.
To the outside world, he was the new lord and head of House Baelaeron, but he knew full well that wasn't the case. He had not taken over the reins because his father was dead. On the contrary, his father was even more alive than he probably was before taking the elixir of life.
Since generations, every Head of House Baelaeron had to earn the right to live an infinite life in a young, strong body and he, like his father before him, had to fulfill his duty.
But it felt uncomfortable to always have someone looking over you and waiting for you to make mistakes, even if you were supposed to be one of the most powerful men in the world.
But this was the price he had to pay.
His eyes were fixed on the enormous doors of the hall as he waited for his guest.
Daenys Targaryen.
He had little idea what she wanted from him, but Kaelarys said that he should receive her because he wanted to know why she was here.
Rarely had he seen him put so much interest into a person who had so little importance in the big picture, but he did as instructed and here he was.
When the doors opened and he saw her for the first time, he tried with keen eyes to find out what Kaelarys had found so special about her.
She was stunning, no one could deny that. But beauty was almost a given among Valyrian women, especially dragonriders.
Her long silver hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back like liquid moonlight. Her eyes were a deep purple, as was her dress, made of the finest silk. She had a slender figure and relatively modest breasts, but they would grow with time.
But other than that, he couldn't put his finger on what made her so special.
"Lady Daenys, I presume?" he asked when she was close enough to hear his words clearly.
"Indeed, Lord Freeholder Baelaeron," she replied with a slight inclination of her head. "It is an honor to be able to see Azorath with my own eyes. Truly, an impressive city your family has built here."
"I'm glad Azorath is living up to your expectations, Lady Daenys," he replied with a warm smile. "I trust your journey was untroubled?"
"It was pleasant, though longer than I am used to," she replied politely.
"Is it true that you traveled by ship? That is quite unusual, especially when you have recently bonded with a dragon, isn't it? Balerion is his name, if I remember correctly?" he asked with slight interest in his voice.
Daenys looked at him in surprise. "That's right, Lord Baelaeron. But I had no idea you were so well versed in my history."
He smiled slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I like to know who stands before me, Lady Daenys. It's always good to be prepared. But enough of that. I'm sure you've had an arduous journey. Whatever your reasons for being here, I'm sure they can wait until dinner."
Daenys nodded gratefully. "That is very generous of you, Lord Baelaeron. A little rest will do me good before we discuss my purpose for coming here."
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Heyho, it took me a while, but I was on a spontaneous trip to the Maldives with my family and the alcohol was getting to me. Well, more or less the reason why I couldn't write or didn't feel like it, but anyway, here I am.
Back at it like a crack addict, lol...
Yours,
Jasonenrick!
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