Daenerys, in her recent journey to King's Landing, had also brought along the five young dragons living in the Kingswood, ensuring that the incident from last time wouldn't repeat itself. With Viserion away, leaving the young dragons unprotected could spell danger. But in reality, these young dragons, after growing over almost two years, had undergone significant changes.
The largest among them, the red dragon named Vaghar, now spanned eight to nine meters in length, including its tail. Its fiery-red scales resembled a fierce blaze. The dragon's head, now large enough to swallow a sheep whole, looked all the more menacing.
"Young dragons grow quickly," he mused, recalling how Balerion had grown fifteen meters in just a year, while his siblings only five or six meters. Vaghar, the eldest of the young dragons, even seemed more promising than Rhaegal and Viserion.
"Robert was reckless and depleted the royal treasury, plunging us millions of golden dragons in debt. I thought the realm was lost, but hope came surprisingly quickly," Varys remarked subtly, exchanging a glance with Illyrio as the latter approached.
"Lord Varys," Jon Connington greeted, unaware of the fleeting exchange between the two. "It's been a while."
Indeed, they had once been colleagues, both serving the 'Mad King' Aerys II. Connington, as the King's Hand, was a powerful figure back in the day, known for his youthful ambition. However, now he appeared as a disheveled middle-aged man, with a messy red beard and a simple attire. If not for the pin of the Hand on his chest, he might be mistaken for a commoner or a sellsword.
Varys, recalling the past, said, "If only the Mad King had heeded my advice that day, perhaps he wouldn't have met his end by a Kingslayer."
Their conversation meandered, touching on the nation's current state, the dragons, and the intrigues of King's Landing. The two eventually parted ways, with Varys warning Illyrio about the challenges they now faced from within the Red Keep, especially from the 'bastard of the North.'
On the towering Maegor's Holdfast of the Red Keep, Viserys held a girl who had leapt into his arms, spinning her around in joy. "I've missed you, sister," he whispered.
It had been a long time since he'd seen young Daenerys. Now, she was in King's Landing for a grand ceremony – the nation's unification and the trials of the remnants of the previous reign.
"My husband," Ellaria Sand whispered, sitting gracefully in an elegant gown. Known as the Queen of Dorne, she had the perfect figure with an exotic charm, looking all the more ethereal against the bright sky, her gown flowing gently with the wind.
The room was bustling with activity, with the Princess Rhaenys, Daenerys, and Queen Ellaria – three powerful women of the realm.