章 31: Chapter 31 Threatening Otto Hightower
Massive wings stretched across the sky, casting a colossal shadow over half the sea and shrouding the sun, creating an imposing silhouette over the four ships.
"Dragon! It's a giant dragon!" exclaimed a panicked crew member, causing others to join in the alarm, some even dropping to their knees.
Ser Steffon Darklyn, a King's Guard accompanying Otto Hightower on this expedition, quickly regained composure amid the fear. Prepared to defend, he dashed towards Otto, who stood in shock, urgently saying, "We must leave while the men distract this dragon."
"I know, but where can we run? I recognize all Targaryen dragons and those ridden by Velaryon, but that one is none amongst them – it's a wild one," Otto explained with a sense of helplessness.
Ser Steffon Darklyn, fixated on the black dragon hovering above, noticed something peculiar. Despite the distance, he sensed a figure on the dragon's back, though it wasn't clear.
As a highly trained warrior, he trusted his instincts. The image of Valarissa Targaryen flashed in his mind but before he could inform Otto about his thoughts. Under the horrified gaze of the crowd, Qyraxis approached, circled the ship cautiously, ensuring not to capsize the ship's by accident
"Princess Valarissa!" Ser Steffon Darklyn's shout echoed, capturing the attention of soldiers and Otto Hightower, directing their focus to the figure behind the dragon.
Valarissa peered down at Ser Steffon, the royal guards, and Otto from atop Qyraxis. Rather than leaping off the dragon, she commanded Qyraxis to stabilize in the air. With one hand, she gripped the grey dragon horn, bent backward on one side, looking down from a commanding height.
All activity below came to a standstill as everyone noticed the piercing green eyes fixed upon them. A collective pause and subconscious swallowing followed.
Qyraxis, the formidable and largest of wild dragons, not only impressed with its immense size and fierce nature but also exerted an unparalleled pressure. Its appearance alone could induce nightmares – a completely black charcoal-like body, devoid of any trace of color accombined by those ghostly green eye's.
"Ser Steffon Darklyn, Lord Hand," she politely greeted before inquiring, "What brings both of you so far from King's Landing on this fine day?"
Otto Hightower responded first, "We are under the order of His Grace Viserys Targaryen, sent to find you, Princess, and safely escort you back to King's Landing."
"Oh! What a coincidence. I was on my way to King's Landing. You can just follow me back now," Valarissa said with a smile.
Hearing Valarissa's words, Ser Steffon Darklyn nodded, but Otto wore a frown. He had planned extensively, aiming to use the situation and the king's anger to severely suppress Daemon. Now that Valarissa was safe and heading back to King's Landing, all his plans seemed to have come to nothing.
Noticing Otto's expression, Valarissa asked, "Is something wrong, Lord Hand?"
"It's like this, Princess. We were ordered to bring back Daemon Targaryen," Otto Hightower said, carefully omitting the word 'arrest.'
Valarissa raised her eyebrows and glanced at Ser Steffon Darklyn, asking, "Ser Steffon Darklyn, tell me what my father's exact orders were?"
"Yes, Princess. The king's orders were to set off to Dragonstone, find you, ensure your safety, and if you're harmed in any way, we were to arrest Prince Daemon Targaryen and bring him to King's Landing for trial," Ser Steffon Darklyn revealed without hesitation.
Valarissa nodded and glanced back at Otto Hightower. "Lord Hand, you seem old, that even your hearing has been affected. The king's orders were to arrest and bring back my uncle if I was harmed in any way. As you can see, I'm not dead nor crippled. Now, I, Valarissa Targaryen of House Targaryen and second princess of the Seven Kingdoms, order you to turn the ship around and return to King's Landing," she said with a serious and awe-inspiring momentum.
"But, Princess..." Otto attempted to say something, but Valarissa interrupted him with a naked threat.
"Otto Hightower, listen to me well and clear. I'm not Daemon, and I'm definitely not Rhaenyra. If you don't turn the ship, I will burn you right here and now for the crime of falsifying the king's orders," Valarissa stated seriously with a hint of anger.
Sensing Valarissa's dissatisfaction, Qyraxis looked straight at Otto Hightower, letting out a loud roar that caused the hesitant Otto to fall backward in fear.
"Forgive me, Princess. I will turn... I will immediately turn around," Otto replied with deep fear, his words unstable.
For a moment, he felt like Valarissa would genuinely kill him, and he saw the naked killing intent toward him. For the first time, he looked at Valarissa with fear and caution.
"Ser Steffon Darklyn, you will take charge of the ships and ensure their return to King's Landing," Valarissa commanded, transferring the command authority to Ser Steffon Darklyn.
"Qyraxis, fly," she commanded in High Valyrian. The dragon and Valarissa soared away, leaving the scared crew and shivering Otto Hightower on the ship.
Otto stood there in a daze, gazing at the departing figure of Valarissa. All this time, he had been planning things in secret, playing all his pieces right, waiting, and pushing Daemon out of King's Landing. Sending his daughter to the king to make an impression, forcing the king to take someone as a wife.
While Rhaenyra being named heir was unexpected, he didn't mind it. As long as his daughter married the king and had a son, Rhaenyra's chance of continuing to be heir meant nothing to him.
But now he saw a threat to him and his plan – a piece he had forgotten or consciously ignored because it seemed harmless in its youth and naivety. Today, he recognized it as the most dangerous piece, a sleeping dragon, no, a real dragon.
One that inherited the kind nature of Aemma Targaryen, the bravery and courage of Daemon Targaryen, and the wise mind of Viserys Targaryen, along with her dragon, the same size or larger than Balerion.
He felt true fear, with his hands still shaking and the scary look of Valarissa's eyes still in mind as evidence of his fear.
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The upcoming chapter will be posted on Thursday.
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