章節 45: The Last Ingredient
Daeranyx POV
This was undoubtedly the largest of the three boxes. Upon opening it, my gaze fell upon items resembling plant roots. After handling and closely inspecting them, I was convinced that requesting them alongside the other two items was the correct choice. Although I initially required only the other two ingredients, these roots have been utilized since the days of Old Valyria by few Dragon lords' families that knows what it did and continue to be employed by some in Volantis for routine medical treatments as they could use these roots only as mundane healing herb.
The roots are a deep red colour, almost resembling blood, which is fitting since they are known as Bloodstem roots, derived from the plant's name, Bloodstem. These roots are found near the Rhoyne River and in the disputed lands. This is why Corlys was able to acquire them early; had the disputed lands still been under Volantene control, neither I nor Corlys would have been able to obtain them so soon. I say 'early' and not 'never' because Corlys possesses a reputation held by only a select few in this world. Additionally, wealth must be factored into the equation, as regardless of the considerable wealth the 'Old Blood' of Volantis may hold, they would likely sever these Bloodstem ties if offered an adequate sum. Regardless of the world or its currency, there will always be items that can be bought at a price, and if one is willing to pay, anything can be acquired. There is exception to this, although they are few and far among the many.
These roots are to be used in the ritual, providing an aspect of vitality. While these roots may not compare to the magical plants found in the HP world, their unique and useful quality in this ritual is their reaction to dragon fire. Unlike other plants that vanish or turn to grey powder when exposed to dragon fire, these roots seem to enhance vitality when used after keeping them in the presence of Dragon fire. This process was not widely known; it was Lord Belarys who discovered it. As our vassal, they were honor-bound to disclose it to us and that's how my family came to know this process.
The Volantis 'Old Blood' are unaware of this. I find the name 'Old Blood' they've chosen for themselves rather amusing. They lack a thousand-year record of their lineage, yet they claim the title 'Old Blood.' They may have borrowed the name from 'Old Valyria,' but they should have opted for something else, as I will never miss an opportunity to mock them when it will present itself in near future. I will thoroughly remind them their position as who they were and what lineage they possessed. Ultimately, they are simply the progeny of the Freeholders who possessed modest estates in Old Valyria. The second sons of these Freeholders, owning nothing, strive to carve out their own existence, often choosing the First Daughter of Mother Valyria as their place to do so.
I chose to add the roots last in the list that I had given to Corlys because they are just one of many ingredients that can be used for vitality and healing in this ritual. One of the finest products I plan to use, even beyond these roots, is the tears of Vezofina, which are excellent for healing, vitality, and are imbued with magic. If Vezofina has reached maturity, I would only need her flames and knowledge on how to infuse Fina's healing powers of her flames into the ritual. Additionally, the ash I collected after Vezofina's birth could also be beneficial. As the saying goes, "the more the merrier," which is why I have sourced these bloodstem roots from Essos. As I've mentioned before, I aim to conduct this ritual with the finest ingredients available from anywhere in the world. Despite the urgency, I believe the ingredients I have gathered are the best that can be found globally for this ritual.
I returned the roots to the box and, once finished, I retrieved my pouch, which is already enchanted with an extension charm. I placed each of the three boxes into the pouch, as I planned to use them later today after having my Midday meal with the Velaryons. I've dispatched Anarion to Skagos following Corlys's message that the ingredients have arrived. Anarion should arrive at the northern island by the time I'm prepared to apparate to the Skagos after eating here. Subsequently, he will remain on Skagos, and I will return here via apparition before supper time. This interval should suffice to complete the ritual and allow me a final ride with Anarion, as we will be apart for at least a moon and a half. Convincing Anarion to stay away for this period required considerable effort and persuasive words on my part.
I rise and begin to freshen up, feeling slightly weary from the sparring sessions in the courtyard. Hunger pangs remind me that it's time for my midday meal. A few minutes later, I'm ready to head to the chambers where our meal awaits. As I open the door, I see the guard still stationed there. We exchange a few words about my destination, and I suggest he take a break for his meal since he hasn't eaten anything while guarding my door. I have reactivated the ward to prevent anyone from entering my chambers without notifying me of their presence, allowing me to decide whether to let the ward perform its intended function. The ward will ensure that no one, regardless of who they might be, leaves alive—this is the most favorable outcome, as the alternative is far worse.
***After some time***
All of us from House Velaryon present in the Red Keep are seated in the chamber, enjoying the wine that Corlys has brought from Essos after our meal. Laena is sitting beside me on the couch, while her parents occupy the couch opposite us. Laenor, with his fruit juice, seems lost in thought; his facial expressions shift from joy to disdain, finally settling into sadness. Over the past fortnight, although I haven't shared every meal with the Velaryons, the time spent with them has allowed me to know them personally, beyond the characters I had previously read about.
I've spent the most time with Laena, as she enjoys riding Vhagar, and I've also increased my time with Anarion for obvious reasons. Our shared interest in dragons and magic helped us bond quickly. She now feels safe around me, not as if she's interacting with a stranger. I hadn't noticed before, but due to her upbringing, she, like all children here, is taught to conceal any nervousness around strangers. Although I've taught her many things, I've excluded magic, but since we've spent most of our time in the sky, she has become more proficient in dragon riding than anything else I've taught her. And that other thing is teaching her to how to write High Valyrian like me and not like how Targaryen's speak. Targaryens doesn't speak any diffrent High Valyrian but them learning Common tongue first has made their High Valyrian accent far from any Valyrian would speak High Valyrian.
While we were all enjoying wine, except for Laenor, there was a knock at the chamber door. Upon Corlys's permission, a servant of House Velaryon entered and made his way to Corlys, handing him a rolled parchment. Corlys waited for the servant to depart before opening the parchment to read it, and once finished, he looked towards me.
"The Starks are only a week away from reaching the Red Keep," Corlys stated, eyeing me intently to gauge my reaction. I managed to keep my face expressionless, yet inwardly, I was elated. The Starks' impending arrival was a result of my fulfilling the terms of the deal between House Targaryen and my own. Now, it was their turn to uphold their end of the bargain, which is why the Starks have been summoned here from the North.
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