章 22: A Parting Gift
"Screee!"
Syrax let out a warning growl, its fierce temperament immediately on display.
"Oops," Aemon skidded to a halt, his grin freezing in place.
Not every dragon was as aloof and detached as Dreamfyre. Some were downright temperamental.
Rhaenyra's lips curved slightly in amusement as she stroked Syrax's thick neck. In High Valyrian, she commanded, "Calm yourself, Syrax!"
The golden dragon blinked its vertical pupils and obediently crouched low, resting its massive body on the ground.
"Wow!"
Aemon's eyes sparkled with admiration, and his jaw practically dropped.
To command a dragon like this was beyond amazing—it was awe-inspiring.
"Syrax can be temperamental. Approach her gently," Rhaenyra said, her tone soft yet instructive as she gestured for Aemon to come closer.
Seeing her little brother's earlier efforts to free Dreamfyre and his determination to interact with dragons, she decided to indulge him.
"I'll be careful!" Aemon exclaimed excitedly, inching toward the golden beast with exaggerated caution, his small hands trembling with anticipation.
"Roar!"
Syrax snorted and shifted slightly, as if tickled by the human boy's hesitance.
"What do I do now?" Aemon asked, his voice filled with nervous excitement, his chubby hands hovering just short of touching the dragon's gleaming amber scales.
Rhaenyra chuckled softly, stepping forward to guide him. Taking his hand, she pressed it gently against Syrax's warm, smooth flank.
"Like this," she said with a reassuring smile.
Aemon shivered at the touch but then beamed from ear to ear, his joy unmistakable.
I touched a dragon! I really touched it!
At the same moment, a familiar chime echoed in his ears—the sound of the panel notification.
"You've discovered a powerful magical creature, acquiring one unit of searing fire magic."
Unseen by anyone else, a faint red glow spiraled into Aemon's chest, spreading warmth throughout his small frame.
Eyes alight with delight, he discreetly checked the panel and found the golden number beside the hourglass had jumped:
Magic Essence: 268
He'd not only recouped the magic essence spent on his earlier card exchanges, but he now had nearly double the amount.
"I'm rich!" Aemon thought jubilantly, almost giggling aloud.
But there was more to celebrate.
Flipping through the panel's details, he noted another significant change:
[Aemon Targaryen]
Talent: Dreamer (Gold)Bloodline: Ancient Valyrian Dragonlord (23%)Skills: High Valyrian (Fluent), Arithmetic (Proficient)...Magic Cards: NoneCompanion: Goldnose Mouse (Blue)Status: "A well-nurtured human child with great potential as a warrior."
The bloodline purity percentage had increased by another 5%!
Aemon squatted by Syrax, pondering the pattern he'd noticed.
"Every dragon I encounter seems to boost my bloodline purity by 5%. If I manage to interact with every dragon in the family's possession…"
He couldn't help but imagine his bloodline skyrocketing.
"Roar!"
Syrax shifted, nudging Aemon away with a firm but harmless flick of her neck.
The boy stumbled back a few steps, offering a sheepish grin.
"She's so shiny, though—like a solid gold dragon," he muttered under his breath, his admiration undiminished.
Suddenly, the sky above darkened briefly, a shadow passing overhead as a loud roar shook the air.
Aemon tilted his head back and saw Dreamfyre's pale blue form descending from the heavens, her wings creating powerful gusts as she landed with surprising grace.
"You're back already?" Aemon asked, his voice filled with surprise as he instinctively inched closer to the massive creature.
Dreamfyre's golden eyes remained unreadable, her demeanor as indifferent as before.
Emboldened by her lack of hostility, Aemon squatted down near her massive head.
"Your Grace!"
The guards broke into a cold sweat at the sight, visibly panicking.
"It's fine," Aemon reassured them, waving dismissively.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances.
"Looks like nothing's fine at all!" whispered Ser Steven to Ser Lorne.
Only Gonsor Royce remained calm. "If the prince isn't afraid, what's there for us to fear?"
With Royce blocking the other guards, Aemon was left undisturbed.
And so, an unusual scene unfolded at the dragonpit's entrance:
A massive, pale blue dragon crouched at the bronze gates while a chubby silver-haired boy sat close to her, neither disturbing the other.
Rhaenyra and Syrax stood at a respectful distance, quietly watching the spectacle.
Next to Dreamfyre, Syrax looked comparatively small. Though a respectable 15 meters in length, Syrax was dwarfed by Dreamfyre's colossal size, which exceeded 50 meters.
Aemon hugged his knees, glancing at the dragon beside him. "It's no use."
Dreamfyre sat tall and proud, her mighty chest rising and falling with each steady breath. Despite her outward calm, she made it clear she had no interest in being tamed.
"This dragon doesn't want a rider," Aemon muttered with a pout, though he accepted her decision.
Choosing Dreamfyre had been a gamble. While her proximity had made her an attractive candidate, he knew there were other dragons on Dragonstone waiting for him to try his luck.
Just then, Dreamfyre lowered her massive head toward him. With a surprising gentleness, she nudged him lightly with her snout, her nostrils flaring as she sniffed him curiously.
"Whoa!" Aemon yelped, nearly losing his balance.
Dreamfyre soon lost interest, raising her head high and lumbering back into the dragonpit, her silvery-blue tail swishing languidly behind her.
The old dragonkeeper rushed forward with his team, carefully guiding the great beast back to her subterranean lair.
"So cold-hearted," Aemon muttered, his round face filled with exaggerated dejection.
Still, he wasn't entirely disappointed.
Since his bloodline purity had increased, he'd also noticed something extraordinary—a faint awareness of the dragon's emotions.
Dreamfyre wasn't hostile toward him; she simply didn't care.
Aemon suspected that if he clung to her leg again, she might not even bother swatting him away.
Rhaenyra approached with Syrax by her side, her expression softening. "Dreamfyre's flight will cause quite a stir. I'll return Syrax to her den. Let's head back to the Red Keep afterward."
"I'll stay to bid Dreamfyre farewell," Aemon said with a mischievous grin, brushing dirt from his tunic.
Rhaenyra sighed, rolling her eyes. This brother of mine really has guts.
Once inside Dreamfyre's cave, Aemon found himself awestruck by the massive underground space. Dim light filtered through cracks in the rock, casting eerie shadows across the uneven terrain littered with dragon dung, scorched bones, and stagnant pools of water.
As the dragonkeepers fitted Dreamfyre with her chains, Aemon wandered about, his gaze sweeping the cavern.
Near the far corner of the chamber, something caught his eye: a suspiciously smooth, blackened mound of dragon dung.
"Sniff, sniff!"
From his satchel, Goldnose Mouse poked its furry head out, its golden nose twitching rapidly in the direction of the mound.
Realization dawned on Aemon.
"Crunch!"
Feigning clumsiness, he stepped on the pile, revealing three eggs in varying shades of blue, green, and violet beneath the outer shell.
Dragon eggs! Hidden under dragon dung!
His heart raced, and without hesitation, he summoned the panel and redeemed the Sleight of Hand card.
"Goldnose, open wide!" he whispered.
To his astonishment, the mouse's tiny mouth opened impossibly wide, swallowing each large egg in turn before vanishing back into the satchel with a squeak.
By the time the dragonkeepers turned back around, Aemon was casually whistling, hands behind his back.
These aren't stolen eggs, he thought smugly. Dreamfyre gifted them to me.
With a grin, Aemon followed the group out of the cavern, ready to face whatever awaited him back at the Red Keep.
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