The three wild hatchlings were still immensely important to House Targaryen, even with its many adult Great Dragons, so protecting them became the royal family's foremost priority.
But they were wild dragons, not hatched on Dragonmont, and had never received the Dragonkeepers' care and training from birth. Bringing them into Dragonmont for protection would be extremely difficult.
With Cannibal targeting them, the three hatchlings remained in constant danger. And although Dreamfyre was formidable, even she could not quite hold her own against Cannibal.
King Jaehaerys therefore acted decisively, ordering Daemon, who rode Bloodworm, Quicksilver, to stay behind.
And to put an end to Daemon's hopes of pursuing Danyla, he also made Danyla Viserys's daughter outright.
With a fierce Great Dragon like Caraxes present, even if Cannibal attacked the hatchlings again or sought revenge on Dreamfyre, the two Great Dragons could handle him together.
Moreover, with Daemon and Danyla there, their exceptional Targaryen blood gave them a good chance of coaxing the three hatchlings into Dragonmont, where they could be kept safe.
Jaehaerys had also lost sons in succession over the past few years, and he could feel his body deteriorating more and more. The struggle for the throne would soon begin. Keeping the impulsive, restless Daemon far from King's Landing was better for everyone.
Once they understood the full story, the members of House Targaryen were naturally delighted. The family had gained three more dragons, and Danyla's Dragonriding talent greatly pleased her elders.
The other Great Lords' houses, however, felt differently. Danyla saw a veiled wariness in those Great Lords' eyes.
After all, the more Great Dragons House Targaryen possessed, the less readily they would dare provoke the royal family. And King Jaehaerys was already in his twilight years. Who knew what the next king would be like?
If another king like Aegon or Maegor came along, the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms would have plenty to suffer through. Their unease was only natural.
Outwardly, however, they still wore fawning smiles as they offered His Majesty the King all manner of congratulations and praise.
Their extravagant words and affected manners made Danyla feel as though even the milk in her cup had turned sour.
Before long, the kitchen brought out the exquisite dishes. Because of the battle between the Great Dragons, breakfast and lunch had been combined into a brunch banquet.
The food was what the Great Lords had enjoyed most during their stay at Dragonstone Castle. Many of the dishes were things they had never even heard of, let alone tasted, so everyone eagerly anticipated the two main meals each day.
Today's lunch was no exception. Alongside some traditional dishes from the Seven Kingdoms, the cooks served new dishes that Danyla had asked them to develop.
With the culinary culture of modern China to draw upon, winning over these bumpkins from another world was all too easy.
Of course, Danyla was not letting them sample these delicacies merely to show off. She and Samwell had already agreed to win over the Great Lords with fine food and wine first.
Then they would discuss opening jointly operated branches of Firekiss Garden in their lands, combining fine food, wine, lodging, and pleasure gardens.
The Great Lords would cover the cost of the land and buildings, while Samwell would arrange the staff and manage the operations. Profits would be split thirty-seventy, with Samwell taking seventy percent.
Of course, none of this could escape those shrewd Great Lords. But no one would drag their underhanded dealings out into the open—unless they wanted to face the wrath of Danyla's Great Dragons.
By now, many Great Lords from the Westerlands, the Riverlands, and the Vale had already reached preliminary agreements with Samwell. Once the apprentices training in Goat Town completed their instruction, the branches could officially open.
Danyla did not expect Firekiss Garden to bring her much profit. More importantly, she intended to use it to gather intelligence and recruit talent.
After all, the Seven Kingdoms had no shortage of impoverished nobles' younger sons or gifted children from poor families. Gathered together, they would form a formidable force.
The standouts among today's dishes were several made with shark meat. After all, even these Great Lords did not get to eat shark meat often.
What was more, this shark had been involved in the battle between the Great Dragons, which naturally made eating it feel all the more prestigious.
Especially when the shark fin arrived in exquisite white porcelain bowls, the delicate porcelain and the sweet soup, with its translucent, glass-noodle-like strands, once again amazed the assembled nobles.
Samwell stepped forward at just the right moment to explain.
"Your esteemed Majesty, my lords!"
"This sweet soup is shark fin, painstakingly prepared from a shark's fins. Not only is it delicious, it is also exceptionally nourishing, strengthening the body, enhancing beauty, and promoting good health!"
"The vessels holding the shark fin are called Dragon Porcelain. They are made from clay gathered from the Kingswood River and fired in earthen kilns with the help of Great Dragons' dragonfire."
"Besides these soup bowls, we also offer all sorts of tableware, vases, and more. Any interested lords are welcome to visit the Dragon Porcelain shop in White Sheep Town to browse and make purchases."
Yet while Samwell enthusiastically delivered his explanation, many people turned their gazes toward Danyla. Several nobles whose children were close to Danyla's age had particularly calculating looks in their eyes.
Jaehaerys elegantly tasted a mouthful of shark fin, then praised it with satisfaction.
"Mm, this shark fin is delicious indeed! And the quality of this Dragon Porcelain is every bit as good as that expensive porcelain from Yi Ti."
"It seems White Sheep Town has quite a few fine things to offer!"
Lord Corlys, the Sea Snake, was a great navigator who had undertaken nine great voyages, and his knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary men. He, too, could not resist praising it.
"Fine porcelain indeed! I shall certainly have to visit White Sheep Town! Porcelain of this quality would be sought after even if it were sold in Essos."
With the approval of two of the most distinguished men in the Seven Kingdoms, the nobles immediately brought all their powers of flattery and silver-tongued social finesse to bear. They spoke as though this porcelain represented the hope of the Seven Kingdoms' rise.
Then Prince Daemon abruptly addressed Danyla.
"It seems Princess Danyla can cover my expenses while I stay at Dragonstone Castle. Tell me, how much have you tucked away in your private coffers by now?"
Danyla, who had been explaining to her mother and sister how the shark fin was prepared, froze at Daemon's words. Bewildered, she replied.
"Don't all of us royal dragonriders receive the same allowance? You live a carefree life on your own, Prince Daemon, with a wealthy lady of a holding to support you. Why are you trying to squeeze money out of a poor soul like me, who has all of White Sheep Town to support?"
"You're my elder now. Shouldn't you be the one looking after a younger member of the family?"
"Whenever I have something good, I share it with everyone straightaway. I don't have any private coffers. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sold the gifts I'd saved since childhood for money!"
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