"Father, can these three dragon eggs really hatch?"
The family fleet had finally passed safely through the Stepstones, allowing Patirius to breathe a long sigh of relief. Faced with his son's question, he answered with complete confidence,
"Of course they can. Why else would I abandon our vast holdings and take you into exile in the east? Once the great dragons hatch, House Patirius will rise again!"
"That day isn't far off. I can feel life stirring inside the dragon eggs!"
As Patirius gazed at the three petrified dragon eggs heating on the stove, his eyes burned with fervor. His children, however, clearly harbored serious doubts.
Ever since their mother had died in childbirth, Patirius had made every decision in the household. Young as they were, they had no hope of persuading their father, who had become utterly obsessed.
Of course, they still held a flicker of hope themselves. If these three dragon eggs really could hatch, perhaps they could recreate the legend of House Targaryen. Hadn't the Targaryens conquered Westeros with just three great dragons?
"My lord, trouble ahead! A large number of pirate ships have appeared!"
The captain of the guards' panicked voice mercilessly shattered the family's happy dreams.
"Pirates?!"
Patirius cried out in disbelief,
"Haven't we already left the Stepstones behind? How could we encounter pirates here?"
"My lord, they are definitely pirate ships. They have eighty or ninety warships of various sizes. Though they have fewer vessels than we do, they hold the windward position. Their ships are also far faster and more maneuverable than ours."
"As things stand, we have no choice but to fight."
"Have everyone prepare for battle immediately!"
Patirius had considerable experience with ocean voyages, and his fleet consisted entirely of the most advanced three-masted sailing ships. With numbers on his side