Baelor's Dragon-Taming Diary (1)

Several days after Norvos fell.

The Golden Fields, Dagger Lake.

" Sss—"

The coal-black dragon swooped low, its massive body plunging into the lake's verdant surface. It gulped down a mouthful of water as silver fish leapt about, then climbed back into the sky.

"Heh, you're certainly full of energy."

Rhaegar had made camp by the lakeshore. He raised a hand to shield himself from the cold water that sprayed up in waves.

The camp was small, with two or three tents clustered together.

"Dragons love warmth and hate the cold. The tropical climate of the Golden Fields is just right."

Daemon struck flint with all his might, lighting a bright bonfire.

The great battle had ended several days earlier, and uncle and nephew had practically fled through the night.

The two dragons had grown listless in the cold of Norvos, looking ready to fall asleep at any moment.

"Sss... gah..."

Caraxes glided lazily overhead. Its serpentine, sinister body twisted as it happily breathed crimson dragonflame.

Crackle, crackle...

Several enormous fish, each a yard long, fell from the sky and struck the ground, splattering blood.

Rhaegar's face fell. "We can't eat those now."

"Better than the pies frozen solid in Norvos, isn't it?"

Daemon chuckled. He rinsed the fish in the flowing river and asked, half-seriously, "Dagger Lake is even larger than God's Eye Lake. Have you considered building a castle here?"

"That's exactly what I have in mind."

Rhaegar admitted it openly.

Daemon's expression shifted. He asked seriously, "You've made up your mind?"

Norvos had already been captured, and Otto Hightower and Cole of the Kingsguard were stationed there.

Before leaving, his good nephew had used dragonglass magic to reforged the mountain fortress and all the nearby fortresses, turning them into an impregnable natural stronghold.

It was nearly as