Destroying My Dream of Riding a Dragon

Chapter 48: Destroying My Dream of Riding a Dragon

Several days later.

Runestone, front courtyard.

Ser Steve held a wooden sword and attacked the prince.

Aemon darted left and right, as nimble as a hare.

Clang!

The Dragon Tooth dagger in his left hand blocked the strike while the Dragon Claw dagger in his right slashed out.

Ser Steve's expression shifted slightly. He pulled back his wooden sword and cut diagonally, blocking the blade aimed straight at his groin.

The swordsmanship was clever, but he had gone from offense to defense.

Relying on their difference in height, Aemon targeted nothing but the lower body.

Before long, he had forced the White Knight into a sweat.

"Alright, alright, that's enough for today."

Ser Steve called a timely halt. He had never seen such a shameless fighting style.

"Your swordsmanship is still superior, Ser."

Aemon took advantage and still played innocent, chuckling.

"Your hands are very nimble. You can try wielding two swords in the future."

Ser Steve shook his head helplessly.

The style was dirty, yet his talent was exceptional.

Aemon wiped away his sweat and unconsciously drifted off.

Seeing this, Ser Steve lowered his voice. "Prince, are you still having nightmares?"

Aemon froze at the question and touched the faint dark circles beneath his eyes.

Was it that obvious?

Ever since his father Daemon left last time, he had suddenly begun having nightmares night after night.

Every time, he dreamed of Dragonmont, of Dragonmont erupting with torrents of Bronze Water.

And each time, he was closer to Dragonmont than before, greatly shortening the time before the Bronze Water swallowed him.

Anyone else would have thought it was sleep paralysis.

"A Dragon Dream?"

Aemon pondered it to himself.

A talent unique to the family.

Once it acted up, not even a Sweetgrass Pillow and mat could suppress it.

It seemed that when he next went to King's Landing, he would have to seriously consider taming a dragon.

Dragons gave the Targaryens power.

As he was thinking, the Old Maester ambled over, pinching two letters between his fingers. "Prince, there are letters from King's Landing."

"Who are they from?"

Aemon asked curiously.

Could Alicent and Rhaenyra have both written to him at once?

"One is from the King, and one is from the princess."

The Old Maester first handed him an already-opened letter, then took a breath. "This one is an invitation from the King, inviting you to King's Landing as a guest."

Aemon's expression turned strange.

His father Daemon had proclaimed himself King of the Gullet, and now his uncle had suddenly sent him a letter.

Something was wrong. Not just wrong—twelve kinds of wrong.

"What about the second one?"

On guard, Aemon opened Rhaenyra's letter.

He gave it a rough scan, and his expression gradually became solemn.

The letter was Rhaenyra's little report.

His uncle's letter was not aimed at him, but at Sea Snake Corlys.

A few days ago, Sea Snake Corlys had visited King's Landing.

One had to know that ever since his uncle refused to marry Laena, the two families had remained in a cold war.

"Unprompted kindness is either treachery or theft."

Aemon frowned.

Sure enough.

Sea Snake Corlys claimed to be paying a visit, yet he had brought half the Velaryon Family fleet, with his son Laenor Velaryon accompanying him on dragonback.

Entering King's Landing with such fanfare was practically a show of force.

At the banquet, he repeatedly slighted Uncle Viserys, the King, making the atmosphere extremely tense.

Anyone could see it.

With the war in the Stepstones over, the Velaryon Family had bared its fangs.

After the banquet, Sea Snake Corlys left directly.

Before leaving, he delivered an invitation to the King.

It was his wife Rhaenys's Name Day, and he invited the royal family to attend and discuss the marriage arrangements of their children while they were at it.

Take note!

The children's marriage arrangements were under Laena's banner.

After Laena was rejected by Uncle Viserys, she soon became engaged to the son of the Braavosi Sea Lord.

Because war had broken out in the Stepstones, the two sides had never managed to marry.

Not long ago, the Braavosi Sea Lord died.

He had been assassinated, and the culprit was unknown.

Sea Snake Corlys had invited his "future son-in-law," intending to have the "future son-in-law" come meet everyone at his wife's Name Day banquet.

It also concealed the ulterior motive behind his special invitation to the royal family.

Rhaenyra had written to Aemon simply so he could prepare himself.

"Looks like I have to get ready to travel again."

Aemon clicked his tongue.

If nothing unexpected happened, he could also make a trip to Dragonstone along the way.

Boom!

All of a sudden, a fierce wind swept down from the sky, carrying whirling blades of grass.

A resounding dragon roar followed.

Aemon looked up in surprise and saw a massive golden dragon soaring toward them.

"Rhaenyra?"

Why was she here?

"Screech!"

Syrax plunged down from the sky, circled Runestone once, and slowly landed in the open front courtyard.

After Caraxes's previous arrival, her relatively small size did not cause too much panic.

The servants still hid as they should, while the knights were much steadier.

Though their legs were shaking, at least they did not run.

Rhaenyra jumped down from the dragon's back with a thud, bit off her leather glove with her silver teeth, and caught her breath. "The roads through the Vale really are difficult."

Aemon changed the subject. "You flew here on a dragon."

That was true.

Aemon secretly glanced at Syrax and found that the golden beast seemed to have grown larger. She was developing very quickly.

Rhaenyra stepped forward and gave him a hug, smiling sweetly. "I came to pick you up. What do you think? Surprised?"

Aemon had grown taller.

Last time, his face had been buried against her flat stomach. This time, it was worse.

"You smell like dragon."

Aemon tilted his head back with all his strength, refusing to let his forehead press against anything soft.

Rhaenyra's smile turned teasing as she released the embarrassed Little One.

"Come with me. Syrax will carry us both back to King's Landing."

Aemon said, "You came so quickly. Sending a letter was unnecessary."

Still, anyone who had a dragon and did not ride it had something wrong with their head.

After obtaining his mother Lady Rhea's consent, he hastily packed his things.

There was not much to bring.

He could not bring the guard squad, and the White Hart could not be ridden there.

He could only sling on a backpack, recall the Gold-Nosed Rat from his personal space, and pack a Sweetgrass Pillow.

"Alright, let's go."

Aemon was fully prepared.

Syrax ate a goat midway through, which counted as fulfilling their duties as hosts.

But once they climbed onto her back, Syrax turned hostile after eating her fill and strongly objected to an outsider riding her.

Rhaenyra soothed her for a good while before Aemon climbed onto her back in wonder.

"Sit tight. The Dragon Saddle is secured with chains."

Rhaenyra knelt behind him, wrapping her arms around him from the front and gripping the handles with both hands.

"Screech!"

Syrax roared, ran two steps on her hind legs, spread her wings, and soared into the air.

In the blink of an eye, they had flown out of Runestone.

Two days later.

King's Landing.

Red Keep, council chamber.

Viserys wore a gloomy expression as he discussed the trip to Driftmark with the Small Council Members.

Some believed Sea Snake Corlys harbored ill intentions and that they should proceed cautiously.

Others suggested using this opportunity to repair their relationship through marriage.

Everyone had their reasons, and the argument continued without end.

Bang!

The doors suddenly flew open.

Viserys raised his head and saw two figures, one large and one small. Surprise appeared on his face.

"Uncle, I'm back again."

Aemon stood with his hands behind his back, smiling mischievously.

Rhaenyra was much more composed. Wearing a beige dress, she entered the hall and skillfully picked up a wine jug to get to work.

"Why are you here?"

After speaking, Viserys realized something was off and changed his wording. "Aemon, I only sent you the letter today. Did Rhaenyra bring you here?"

He had been too busy these past two days to pay attention to his daughter's affairs.

Aemon looked around. Seeing that no one said anything, he pitifully said, "Rhaenyra insisted. My waist hurts so badly."

"Hm?"

Viserys froze, admitting that he had let his mind wander.

Aemon covered his waist and told the truth. "We flew for two straight days. I was nearly blown stupid."

Syrax was still an adolescent dragon, after all, with limited speed and endurance.

The journey took two days, with them sleeping out in the open.

Damn Rhaenyra, ruining his dream of riding a dragon.

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Tomorrow, the third round of recommendations begins. There will be an extra chapter update at midnight.

Zhou Zhou apologizes in advance. The dragon-taming plot has been pushed back to Chapter 51, starting from there.

But don't worry. After the extra chapter update, dragon taming will still begin tomorrow.

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Last but not least.

Thanks to all you generous readers for your follow-up reads, monthly tickets, and donations.

I finally made it onto the new book rankings. I'm so moved!

Remember to keep reading~