A warm feast in the Red Keep, Grey Ghost by the window

The banquet hall of the Red Keep still carried that warm, topaz-like ambiance. Candlelight flickered on bronze candlesticks, casting a warm golden glow on the long table. The sizzling sound of roasted wild boar fat dripping onto the charcoal fire mingled with the rich aroma of mead, permeating every inch of the stone walls.

At the very front of the long table, our "the Conciliator" His Majesty Jaehaerys, dressed in a black robe embroidered with a three-headed dragon, sat undoubtedly at the head of the table. "Good Queen" Alysanne, her white fox fur shawl sweeping across the tablecloth, sat beside him, while on the other side was our Hand of the King Prince "Prince of Spring Dawn" Baelon. The male and female guests were seated below the Crown Prince and Queen, respectively.

At the long table, below Baelon sat his brother Vaegon and his son Viserys, followed by Viserys's friend, Lord Otto Hightower, the Master of Laws, and Leonno Strong, nominated by the former Master of Ships Taimond Lannister, to succeed him. Our "Rogue Prince" Daemon Targaryen, however, sat alone at the end of the table with Larys, who was with Jarman, seemingly not particularly fond of his brother's two friends.

On the Queen's side, Aemma House Arryn, wife of Viserys, was the head. As for why Princess Gael or Lady Jocelyn wasn't at the head of the banquet, that's because the main character of the banquet, who was sandwiched between Gael and Jocelyn, was Daemon Blackfyre.

Jocelyn Baratheon sat beside Daemon, her black dress embroidered with a white stag in dark silver stripes. She held a silver spoon and carefully ladled roasted venison into Daemon's bowl, her voice as soft as a feather. "Have you been eating dry rations on the road? This venison was sent from Storm's End. Borros said you like it slightly charred, so I had the kitchen roast it a little longer."

Daemon looked at the bowl piled high with meat, and his nose tingled with emotion. In his previous life, before he died in the Red Grassland, his last meal was a cold, hard wheat cake. How could anyone have been so considerate of his taste?

Just as he was about to thank her, Queen Alysanne smiled and handed him a plate of candied peaches, "Little Daemon, these are sweet and refreshing. Gael said you ate quite a lot on Arbor, so I had the kitchen prepare these."

"Mother, I want some too!" Gael leaned closer, her pale purple skirt brushing against Daemon's arm, and reached for the peaches in the Queen's dish, prompting Alysanne to laugh and slap her hand, "You silly child, you were just saying you wanted to maintain your composure, and now you're grabbing food."

Viserys, holding Rhaenyra, sat opposite him. Seeing the little princess staring at the meat in Daemon's bowl, he couldn't help but tease her, "Rhaenyra, do you want a bite from your uncle? Your uncle loves you very much."

Aemma, standing nearby, chuckled and gestured to the servants to hold his hands down, "Stop fooling around, the baby just had milk, eating more will cause indigestion." But Rhaenyra stretched out her little hands and scratched in Daemon's direction, making "ee-yah" sounds, which made everyone at the table laugh.

Baelon set down his glass, his gaze sweeping across the room, his voice both authoritative and gentle. "Little Daemon's achievements during his tour of the Seven Kingdoms are well-documented—he helped Crabb reclaim Whispering Castle on Crab Claw Peninsula, led the allied forces in the Highgarden Vale a decisive victory over the Mountain Clans, relieving the Moon Gate Keep, mediated the conflict between House Bracken and Blackwood in the Riverlands, twice burned Ironborn longships to save the Riverlands ' Seagard and Lannisport in the Westerlands, exposed the Reach's treason and saved the Lords of the Reach, and rescued hundreds of citizens sold into slavery by Lys in the Stormlands. Even the Citadel managed to persuade Vaegon to return. This sense of responsibility far surpasses that of Aemon and myself in our youth."

Otto Hightower immediately echoed, his green tuxedo sleeve brushing lightly against the tablecloth. "His Highness is right. I received a letter from my brother, the Earl of Hobert, in King's Landing a few days ago, saying that when His Highness Daemon was in Oldtown, even the maesters of the Citadel admired his abilities; the House Redwyne even volunteered to send a fleet to escort him. This is the first time since Reach the Conciliator's visit to the Reach that the royal fleet has been so attentive."

Leonno Strong nodded earnestly, his bald head gleaming in the candlelight. "When Your Highness captured slave traders on the Stepstones, even the other ships of the Triarchy dared not approach. This is the power of the true dragon."

"Anyone who dares to cause trouble in the Narrow Sea again will have to think twice before giving His Highness a chance to act like Black Dragon."

Vaegon Targaryen sat in the corner, holding a glass of fruit wine. Uncharacteristically, he wasn't sarcastic, simply adding, "When he was in the Citadel, unlike other noble scions who found academics tedious, he even asked a few decent questions. He wasn't too stupid."

These words, coming from the notoriously arrogant Vaegon, carried more weight than any praise. Even King Jaehaerys chuckled, "It seems our Little Daemon can not only fight, but also converse with maesters. Not bad, not bad."

Just then, Daemon Targaryen suddenly raised his glass, his silver-gold hair gleaming in the candlelight, his tone full of mockery. "Father, Uncle, you only talk about his achievements, why don't you mention his many romantic encounters along the way? I've heard that Miss Margaery of Arbor went to the docks every day to see him; Earl Cameron of Tarth gave his daughter Brienne to him as a bodyguard; and this Miss Johanna Swann beside us, wasn't she also rescued by him from a slave ship?"

As he spoke, he winked at Daemon: "Little Daemon, tell us, did you secretly hide anything on the way? Like, which lady gave you a token of love?"

Gael's face instantly turned bright red with anger. She reached out to pinch her "rebellious nephew" Daemon Targaryen's arm. "Big Daemon! Don't talk nonsense! Little Daemon is not that kind of person!" Johanna also lowered her head, her black hair covering her cheeks, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, her fingertips turning white.

Daemon sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Cousin, don't listen to that nonsense from the taverns. Miss Margaery just wanted to see Auntie's Dreamfyre. She was with Gael and Little Mei on their trip to Arbor back then. Brienne was sent by Tarth Earl and is now Gael Gary's personal bodyguard. Hannah is also Gael Gary's maid. What kind of romantic encounter is that?"

"No?" Daemon Targaryen raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing Damon because he had been released from confinement after recovering from his injuries and had discovered the surprise Daemon and Gael had left him in Silk Street (the debt for Mysaria's redemption had been pinned on our "Rogue Prince"Daemon).

Then he pointed to the balcony outside the window, "What's hiding outside that balcony? I think I saw a light gray shadow when I came in just now. Is it your 'little lover' that you kidnapped from somewhere?"

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed, but saw nothing—a Grey Ghost had already shrunk behind a balcony pillar in fright, only its small head peeking out, its golden eyes filled with terror.

Daemon quickly changed the subject. "That's Grey Ghost, a wild dragon from Dragonstone. It followed the fleet all the way here. It's timid and afraid of people."

"Even a wild dragon follows you, isn't that charming?" Daemon Targaryen persisted, prompting Gael to pick up a peach pit and throw it at him, only to have him laugh and dodge it.

Amidst the noise, no one noticed the undercurrents swirling in the corner of the banquet hall.

A minor lord in a brown robe quietly tugged at the sleeve of the person next to him and whispered, "Look at Prince Daemon's power now. He has one or two dragons (Glutton and Dreamfyre) and a wild dragon. He's all over Redwyne in the Reach, Baratheon in the Stormlands, and the Tarth. Even those barbarians in the the North are said to be on good terms with him. He might surpass Prince Viserys in the future."

The person next to him immediately waved his hand, but his eyes glanced at the king at the head of the table. "Don't talk nonsense, His the Conciliator Viserys has many friends, such as Lord Otto and that newcomer, Lord Leonno. But then again, it seems that the Westerlands have already reached a deal with Prince Viserys, otherwise he wouldn't have recommended this Lord Leonno, who doesn't seem very approachable."

"That's right. Even compared to others, Prince Viserys was the last master of the Black Dread, and he might very well tame dragons again in the future. Besides, there's the Crownlands, the Westerlands, the Riverlands, and the Vale, where Lady Aemma's family resides. Moreover, the Crown Prince is still alive, and Prince Big Daemon will also be a three-headed dragon in the future. Vhagar and Caraxes have both been in war."

Otto Hightower was whispering to Leonno Strong, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Daemon, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword. "Three dragons—that's too many. His Majesty Jaehaerys is getting old, and while Prince Baelon is stable, Daemon is too young. No matter how powerful he becomes, he might bring trouble upon himself."

Leonno frowned. "His Highness is not the kind of person with ambition. This tour is all for the peace of the Seven Kingdoms."

"Whether someone has ambition or not isn't determined by their present, but by their future," Otto said, lowering his voice even further. "Just you wait and see; it won't be long before someone is gossiping about him to the king."

Larys Strong stood in the shadows, leaning on his cane, a sharp glint in his dark eyes as he took in everything.

He didn't speak, but quietly tapped the ground with his cane—a servant in the distance immediately understood, turned and walked out of the banquet hall, clearly to deliver some message.

As the banquet ended, the moonlight had already climbed over the towers of the Red Keep.

Daemon had just returned to his room when he heard a "shh" sound from behind the door. Just as he was about to draw Gael sword, Gary came out with Mysaria, Johanna, Brienne, and Alys Rivers, carrying a wooden tray with freshly baked bread.

"What brings you here?" Daemon breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the wheat cake in Gael's hand. "Didn't you eat enough at the banquet?"

"No way!" Gael placed the wooden tray on the table, hands on her hips. "I'm here to settle accounts with you! What's going on between you and Grey Ghost? Why did you bring it back without consulting me? What if it causes trouble in the castle?"

Mysaria smiled and pulled Gael: "The princess was just worried about you, afraid that Grey Ghost would cause you trouble. She even had the kitchen make some pancakes, saying that Grey Ghost might be hungry."

Johanna walked up to Daemon, holding a folded piece of linen in both hands. "Your Highness, this was sewn by Little Mei and me. We added abrasion-resistant fabric inside. You can use it to Blackfyre later; it's more convenient than a cloak."

Brienne stood in the doorway, her six-foot frame blocking the moonlight. She bowed to Daemon: "Your Highness, I have already spoken to the Gold Cloaks and asked them to keep an eye on the Grey Ghost's movements to prevent it from causing trouble."

Alys Rivers leaned against the window, moonlight reflected in her green eyes, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "Don't misunderstand, Your Highness. It was the Princess who brought me here. I saw Grey Ghost on the balcony just now. It was hiding behind a pillar, seemingly very shy. But—it seemed to have something hanging around its neck, like a small scale."

Just as Daemon was about to speak, he heard a soft "chirp" coming from the balcony. He went over and opened the window, and sure enough, he saw the Grey Ghost shadow huddled in the corner. Its light gray-white scales shimmered in the moonlight, and it had a small black scale hanging around its neck. It must have fallen off from the Glutton, and he guessed that it was the token his older brother had given him when he was playing with the Glutton.

"You know how to find a place to hide." Daemon chuckled and held out his hand. The Grey Ghost hesitated for a moment, then shuffled over and nuzzled his palm with its head.

Gael leaned closer, looked at the Grey Ghost, and softened her tone. "Never mind, since it's so timid, it's fine to keep it around. But you have to keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't steal the dried fish from the kitchen."

"Understood." Daemon nodded, watching the girls gather around Grey Ghost. Mysaria stroked it as if she were petting it, Johanna was whispering to it, Brienne stood guard at the door, and Gael was discussing with Alys Rivers whether there was a way to make Grey Ghost as close to her as it was to Daemon. Damon felt a warmth in his heart.

The moonlight streamed into the room, falling on everyone and on the pale scales of the Grey Ghost shadows.

Daemon leaned against the window, watching the lively scene before him, and suddenly felt that all the hardships of this century-long journey were worthwhile. With family by his side, friends by his side, and a timid but loyal dragon guarding the balcony, perhaps this was the home he had always longed for.

The distant chimes of the tower echoed as the night deepened, but the laughter inside the room, like a candle flame, flickered warmly, undiminished by the darkness.