Daemon already felt he was somewhat in the wrong that day, so he agreed without giving it much thought.
"No problem!"
Wasn't it just fighting on dragonback? That was what he loved doing most!
Besides, even without this agreement with Danyla, would he really refuse to act when she needed him?!
(Kid, I have to admit, you've got guts!)
Yet, for some reason, after readily agreeing, Daemon kept feeling that something was off. Why did he feel as though he had been roped into something?!
Still, he couldn't work out why. In his vanity, he assumed Danyla had merely found an excuse to waive those expenses for him. Perhaps she had only said it in passing!
(Do you really think so?!)
So Daemon put it out of his mind and focused on enjoying the fine wine and food before him.
Dragonstone Castle's food and wine were among the finest in the Seven Kingdoms. For Daemon, whose only pleasures were beautiful women and fine wine, they were naturally something to savor!
To everyone's surprise, however, Danyla's other personal maid, Rhaella, had already prepared a written parchment contract and brought it over.
Viserys and Princess Rhaenys both turned their eyes toward Danyla, thinking,
Had Danyla prepared this in advance?!
With a solemn expression, Rhaella placed the ink, quill, and parchment before Daemon so he could sign immediately.
Like Uncle Daemon's wife, Rhaella came from House Royce, one of the Great Lords of the Vale. She was his wife's younger cousin.
Because Daemon treated his wife poorly and showed her little respect, Rhaella had no fondness for him.
Her face was already that of an icy beauty, but when she faced Daemon, her expression became even more severe.
"Prince Daemon, this is the contract for the promise you made. Please sign after checking that everything is correct."
Daemon merely skimmed it before signing his name, then took the opportunity to tease Rhaella.
"If your cousin were as beautiful as you, I would never leave Runestone."
Rhaella first gave a cold snort, then said expressionlessly,
"Then Your Highness should go ride a goat!"
"I think that would suit your tastes better!"
With that, she picked up the signed contract and left without looking back.
Her words, however, sent Viserys, Princess Rhaenys, and the others into peals of laughter.
"A strong commander certainly has no weak soldiers!"
Princess Rhaenys added approvingly,
"I like this girl's spirit! Hahaha!"
Daemon looked utterly unconcerned and continued attacking the food and wine before him.
Viserys, meanwhile, said pointedly,
"Daemon, you should show your wife more respect from now on. Otherwise, I fear all of House Royce will come to despise you."
Daemon drained his Dragonfire Wine in one gulp and declared with unbridled arrogance,
"So what? I have a dragon!"
"I, Daemon Targaryen, will drink the finest wine and fuck the most beautiful women!"
"As for that woman from House Royce..."
"She isn't even as appealing as the goats of the Vale!"
The three young dragons' cave-not quite this extravagant, but still full of them
Within a few days, news that Danyla had defeated Cannibal spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms on the maesters' ravens.
Princess Danyla's name once again resounded throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Many Great Lords with male heirs of a suitable age wrote to say they would send their heirs in person with gifts to congratulate her on her remarkable feat.
Even the sudden storm that struck that day and lasted three full days failed to dampen their enthusiasm or halt their journeys!
On the fourth day, the skies cleared, and Danyla hurriedly rode Dreamfyre to the New Volcano Range to find her Myracis and the three frightened young dragons!
Because of the relentless downpour over the past few days, the young dragons had remained sheltered in the volcanic caves.
When Danyla saw the clear skies that morning, she immediately had the Dragon Guards select several dozen fat sheep from Goat Town and take them to the orchard on the hillside.
It had now become Danyla's dedicated feeding ground for the Great Dragons.
By the time Danyla reached the volcanic caves, the Dragon Guards had already placed the marinated sheep on the roasting racks.
Since Danyla did not know the precise location of the young dragons' cave, she had Dreamfyre give a low rumbling Dragon Roar once they reached the general area.
She hoped to catch the young dragons' attention and prompt a response.
Like people, each Great Dragon had a different voice, so they could easily recognize one another's calls.
Fortunately, the young dragons soon answered. Myracis was the first to fly out of a narrow volcanic fissure.
She was also clutching a purple gemstone the size of an apple. As though eager to please, she flew onto Dreamfyre's back and placed it in Danyla's hand.
At the sight of the enormous purple gemstone, Danyla's heart clenched. She discovered that its core was a walnut-sized purple diamond of superb color and exceptional quality.
In her previous world, purple diamonds had been known as the "pandas" of diamonds, a clear indication of their rarity and value.
Purple diamonds formed when the diamond crystal underwent plastic deformation during its formation, distorting its lattice structure and producing a purple color.
The rarity of purple diamonds lay primarily in the scarcity of a pure purple hue. Their supply was extremely limited in any world.
Moreover, most purple diamonds were small. One the size of a pigeon's egg was already an extraordinarily rare treasure.
Yet the purest part at the very heart of the purple diamond in Danyla's hand was the size of a walnut-at least 120 carats.
For some unknown reason, holding this purple diamond also gave Danyla a sense of pleasure in both body and mind.
Could it be because of the magic contained within this purple diamond?!
It seems the young dragons' cave is no ordinary place!
Danyla immediately felt the urge to investigate. She had her Great Dragon, Dreamfyre, land at the edge of the volcanic fissure.
By then, Grey Ghost and the other young dragons had also crawled out of the fissure.
The volcanic fissure was only four or five meters wide, enough for several people to walk abreast, but rather cramped for young dragons already fifteen or sixteen meters long.
Fortunately, Myracis, who was only a little over two meters long, could pass through with ease.
And so, led by the pink hatchling Myracis, Danyla made her way into the volcanic fissure.
Danyla followed Myracis slowly deeper into the fissure. The surrounding rock radiated a faint warmth and occasionally glimmered, as though reflecting light from some mineral.
Before long, a glittering open space suddenly appeared ahead. Myracis chirped delightedly and flew inside with evident joy.
Danyla approached and saw diamonds of every color scattered everywhere. Although most were colorless, there was also an abundance of colored diamonds.
Purple diamonds lay scattered in the corners like mysterious stars in the night; pink diamonds clustered in patches like a young girl's blushing cheeks, their soft hues dreamlike; blue diamonds resembled treasures crystallized from the depths of the ocean, gleaming with a cold, captivating light.
Overjoyed, Danyla crouched and gently picked up a blue diamond the size of a baby's head. As she held it, a strange power spread along her arm.
Beside her, Myracis nudged her with her snout, indicating that these diamonds were treasures she had discovered.
Filled with delight, Danyla hugged Myracis and planted a fierce kiss on her.
She knew these diamonds would bring her immense wealth and power.
Dreamfyre's cave
Before you continue