Three months later, above Blackwater Bay.
Aegon rode Sunfyre, the golden dragon's brilliant scales gleaming beneath the high autumn sun like a flowing mass of molten gold.
Compared with when they had left King's Landing over three months earlier, Sunfyre seemed to have grown another size larger. The shadow cast by the dragon's outstretched wings was now enough to cover an entire large merchant ship below.
With Cannibal staying at Aegon's side while Sunfyre had been left on Dragonstone for over three months, the golden dragon had likely bottled up a bellyful of jealousy. Finally reunited with the rider, Sunfyre flew with particular vigor, occasionally rolling over or wheeling around, expressing displeasure and delight through movements only Aegon, joined with the dragon in body and mind, could understand.
Aegon patted the warm scales along Sunfyre's neck and looked down.
On the sea below, several ships laden with cargo were slowly sailing north along the coast of the Stormlands.
Their sails bore the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen, specially painted on Daemon's orders, though this was Aegon's own variant: Sunfyre's golden three-headed dragon. Sailors hurried back and forth across the decks, adjusting the sails to keep pace with Sunfyre.
Yes, the time for parting had come once again.
A short while ago, Aegon had bid farewell to the Stepstones, where he had been "stationed" for three months. A few days earlier, he and his dear uncle Daemon had set off on their separate courses, leaving him to lead this richly laden fleet back to King's Landing alone.
This time, however, he had not taken his ships to rest at Driftmark or Dragonstone first. When the fleet passed close to Dragonstone, he had simply ridden Cannibal there alone under cover of darkness to "switch dragons"-
After all, he could hardly take Nightfall