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Blood and fire, iron and rust.
The scent of war that once permeated Westeros gradually dissipated, and peace once again descended upon this vast land.
One piece of good news after another arrived in the peaceful years.
The six-year-long winter slowly ended as Aegon officially returned to the Iron Throne. The snow in the Vale and the West slowly melted, revealing mountains budding with new growth. The Neck returned to its misty swamp state, the Trident River surged once more, and the distant Last Hearth gradually extinguished the hearth fires that Moon Dance had lit for them.
Ships from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea at the eastern end of the Great Wall set sail again, heading for the ports of the southern lords, bringing back boatloads of supplies and new recruits for the Night's Watch, who had endured six years of ice and snow.
At the end of winter, the Wildlings Beyond the Wall gathered tens of thousands of people, attempting to breach the Great Wall. However, they were instantly routed by a single charge from several hundred heavy cavalry, a rare sight in the history of the Night's Watch after the Conquest Era, led by Commander Jason Lannister, whose supplies were much more abundant. The self-proclaimed King-Beyond-the-Wall had his head bitten off by a magnificent lion. His head was passed from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea to Shadow Tower over the next year, allowing the garrisons of the entire Great Wall and the Wildlings Beyond the Wall to witness the consequences of invasion.
Spring arrived.
Times of peace always pass quickly.
In 137 AC, Viserys and Madam Lara welcomed the fruit of their love, a strong silver-haired boy. It was said that his cries at birth could be heard even in the Vaerezys Black Palace.
However, Rhaegor scoffed at this.
Aegon was very excited about the new addition to the royal family. He personally named the infant "Aegon," the name of the Conqueror and his own name, to show his regard for the child. Madam Lara's position within the Targaryen family also became more secure due to her merit in giving birth to a new heir for the royal family.
But when the King prepared to go to the Dragonpit to select a dragon egg for Aegon, Viserys stopped him, saying to the King: "My son will tame a true dragon in the future, not a small dragon that grows up with him. Brother, have you forgotten the plight of our elder brothers in that war?"
This reason convinced the King.
Aegon acquiesced to Viserys's decision not to prepare a dragon egg in the cradle for Aegon.
The Realm was unusually peaceful that year. Even Dalton Greyjoy of the most unruly Iron Islands strictly adhered to the rules of Westeros, reining in their oft-spoken ancient ways. The Ironborn spent the entire winter surrounded by mead and roasted meat, thanks to the spoils of "raping the three daughters." Dalton's prestige also reached its peak.
This clever "pirate" clearly understood what allowed him to enjoy most of the spoils. Over the years, he had frequently sent plundered treasures to King's Landing and Dragon Nest City. He even proactively offered to contribute to the rebuilding of the Royal Fleet.
However, this offer was politely declined by Joffrey Velaryon and King Aegon. Joffrey had already ordered a large number of ships from Shipwright's Town, Silver Dragon Harbor, King's Landing shipyards, and Braavos to expand the Royal Fleet. Although he was the head of House Velaryon, he also remembered that he actually had more Targaryen blood flowing through him.
He also wanted to do something to help his younger brothers.
Joffrey now had a daughter and a son with Princess Alysanne Martell. His eldest daughter, Baelys Velaryon, was a beautiful black-haired girl. His second son, Lucerys Martell, according to the marriage contract, would inherit the position of Prince of Sunspear in the future. Lucerys was a black-haired boy with the olive skin of the Rhoynar, inheriting his mother's beauty and his father's handsome strength, showing talent as an excellent heir at a young age.
Duke Elmond Tully of Riverrun, who had always been in poor health, did not survive the long winter. As spring just arrived, this Governor of the Riverlands, who had made significant contributions during the Dance of the Dragons, passed away in his own river castle. The young Kermit Tully inherited his position.
The "boys" who had risen to prominence in the Riverlands during the war gradually replaced their fathers, standing at the forefront of the political stage.
After the young dragon was killed by Dreamfyre, Viserys thought for a long time. His reason told him that he should return to Dragon Nest City to check the records. Although the Varezes family's in-depth materials and notes on dragons had always been hidden somewhere unknown, the Grand Library of Laurel Leaf Tower still contained numerous dragon-related documents. But in the end, his reason returned to the realm of family supremacy. Viserys ultimately chose to summarize the Targaryen family's own dragon hatching patterns.
By examining a large number of documents from before Aegon the Conqueror's conquest until King Viserys's ascension, Viserys discovered that most of the Targaryen family's dragons hatched in Dragon Mountain on Dragonstone, with only a very few hatching in the Dragonpit in King's Landing. However, dragons hatched in Dragon Mountain often died from infighting or had various problems at birth.
This was a difficult problem to solve.
Almost all the remaining dragon eggs in Dragon Mountain had hatched. Viserys decided to wait, first for the existing dragons to grow healthy for a period, and after the family had reclaimed a few adult dragons, then to send the dragon eggs from the Dragonpit back to Dragon Mountain for hatching. This way, with adult dragons present, the survival rate of the young dragons would likely greatly increase.
The year 137 AC slowly passed in the joy of spring's arrival.
The year 138 AC quietly arrived amidst Diana's vomiting. Prince Dragonzel's wife was pregnant again. To ensure the child's smooth birth, Prince Dragonzel rode Vermithor and sent Diana back to Dragon Nest City.
Ten months later, Prince Dragonzel welcomed his second son, a beautiful silver-haired boy. When this child with a pair of brilliant blue eyes was born in the delivery room of Dragon Nest City, Skyfire, who had been very quiet in the Dragonpit of Dragon Nest City, suddenly flew out of the Dragonpit, circled the Silver Blood Tower where the delivery room was located several times, and then returned to his nest.
Prince Dragonzel named his second son "Jacaerys," the name of his most obedient former attendant, to commemorate the little tail who had followed him for so many years and finally passed away by his side.
At the end of the same year.
Viserys's wife, Madam Lara, became pregnant again and in 139 AC, welcomed a beautiful silver-gold-haired girl. Viserys named her "Naerys."
According to tradition, this girl would marry Aegon or other descendants of Aegon. But Aegon consulted his brother after Naerys's birth.
He wanted Naerys to be betrothed to Jacaerys, who had also just been born.
Of course, this plan ultimately remained verbal, as Viserys put it off with the excuse, "The children are too young; let's talk about it when they're older."
Viserys hoped that the Targaryen family's children could marry within the family.
He wanted to ensure that dragon knights would not flow out to other families again. However, it seemed he still had doubts about whether his daughter could tame a dragon in the future.
He ultimately placed a dragon egg in his daughter's cradle.
Unfortunately, that dragon egg, like Igaras's dragon egg back then, remained completely still.
This year also passed in the peace and stability of the Realm.
Only a few minor incidents occurred.
Duchess Jane Arryn of the Vale passed away from sudden typhus in a monastery in Gulltown. Before her death, she once again defended Joffrey Arryn's right of inheritance.
The position of ruler of the Vale was smoothly handed over to the next generation. Lord Joffrey Arryn, accompanied by Count Artys Royce and Ser Khorun Corbray, sailed to King's Landing to meet King Aegon.
After leaving the Throne Room, Lord Joffrey expressed the same sentiment shared by everyone who had attended King Aegon's court.
Compared to King Aegon, Prince Dragonzel, by the side of the Iron Throne, was more majestic, more like a true King.
Prince Dragonzel also earned the nickname "Viceroy."
Prince Khorun Martell also passed away peacefully in Sunspear this year. As the last Prince of Dorne who caused Dorne to lose its millennia-long independence, Khorun was not overly criticized. People understood his despair upon witnessing eight dragons destroy the Ironwood family. Like the last King of the North who knelt and surrendered back then, the people of Dorne gradually understood this prince in times of peace.
He died peacefully.
Alexandra returned to Sunspear with her son, becoming the Princess of Sunspear, and with her husband, one in the South and one in the North, began to establish a navy.
Aegon and Viserys tacitly approved of Sunspear's establishment of a navy.
In 140 AC, a new long summer officially descended upon all of Westeros; even the North, where it snowed in summer, now bloomed with summer flowers. From Last Hearth, the New Gift, to Barrowton, the entire North, under the leadership of Duke Cregan, began to sow seeds across the region; the North wanted to store enough food during this rare long summer.
And the South.
The Southern nobles had completely recovered their vitality consumed during the Dance of the Dragons; continuous years of bountiful harvests not only increased the population but also replenished the nobles' coffers.
The only drawback was that, as King's Landing was too preoccupied, Oldtown, directly administered by the Iron Throne, gradually declined. As time passed, Oldtown's decay became increasingly apparent, with fewer and fewer ships choosing to dock in its port. The once clean and tidy cobblestone streets were now full of dilapidation and filth, the city's dense canals had completely dried up, and the once bustling residents had long since moved away. Hightower, due to years of disrepair and destruction from post-war purges, had completely turned into a pile of ruins a few years ago, with only its black stone foundation remaining intact.
This city, once the second largest in Westeros with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, gradually disappeared from the stage of history.
Just like its former owners, House Hightower.
At least for now. The future? Who can say?
Speaking of House Hightower.
Ser Garmund Hightower, Lord of Skyreach, married the daughter of his acting castellan, Harford Corbray, three years ago. After having a son and a daughter with her, this young man, who had long self-imprisoned himself in the tower of Skyreach, finally died of alcohol poisoning this year.
His body was only discovered when his wife brought him food as usual.
This poor Hightower was still clutching a wine bottle when he died.
Although Gray Terror Island is barren, there are continuous supplies from the mainland. It lacks nothing but wine.
And milk of the poppy.
Meral Yangyan of the Divine Concealment Tower gradually grew into a handsome young man. From the day he could remember, his world consisted only of this small tower, the never-ending sound of the tide, the town tavern beneath Gray Terror Keep, and his acting castellan.
To this day, he doesn't even know who his parents are.
In 141 AC, Madam Lara gave birth to Viserys's third child, a silver-haired boy with a loud cry. Viserys was delighted, believing this child would surely become an excellent dragon knight in the future. Everyone was happy, except for Aegon, who felt that his brother would take away his parents' love for him.
So, while his parents weren't paying attention, he secretly picked up his sister's dragon egg and threw it at his brother.
Fortunately, Madam Lara, with quick hands, stopped the dragon egg.
Viserys angrily scolded Aegon and locked him in a dark room until Aegon cried and admitted his mistake before releasing him.
King Aegon, who came upon hearing the news, failed to persuade his brother to forgive his nephew, but King Aegon still obtained the right to name the little boy.
He named the child Aemon.
The once proud name of the Targaryen family, the first companion of Caraxes, the eldest son of Jaehaerys I.
Also in this year, Dragonzel's five-year term as Prime Minister expired. He unhesitatingly removed the King's Hand's brooch, preparing to return to Dragon Nest City with his son.
Vaerezys Black Palace.
The dragons were all excited, even Vermithor, who had slept for several days, was excited. The mountain-like Bronze Fury looked expectantly at Dragonzel, who had put on his riding gear for dragon riding, ready to take off at any moment.
Star Song had even flown a lap impatiently.
While the Dragonpit of Vaerezys Black Palace was good, it was definitely not as comfortable as the Dragonpit in Dragon Nest City. Vermithor was already eager to return and continue expanding his massive cave.
Only Zhuohuo still lay lazily on the edge of the Dragonpit, a hint of... resentment even visible in its clear, bright eyes.
It knew very well that Vermithor and Star Song could return to Dragon Nest City, but it could not.
Because its companion was still here, it couldn't abandon its companion and fly back home by itself.
Rhaegor had grown into a fifteen-year-old young man. He had short silver hair but kept a fringe that covered one eye, making him look unapproachable. He inherited his father's handsomeness, but on top of Dragonzel's features, Rhaegor's face was more rugged, and his eyes were colder. When he looked at others, it always made them shiver unconsciously.
"Father." Samantha, wearing the Targaryen family's red and black Queen's gown, with a silver and purple cloak of the Varezes family over it, and a delicate golden crown on her head, calmly looked at her father and twin brother.
"Samantha." Dragonzel looked at his daughter, who had grown into a graceful maiden, and couldn't help but feel a little dazed. Although it hadn't been long since they last met, seeing his daughter grown so much still made the old father feel a pang of sadness. "We are returning to Dragon Nest City."
"Father, brother." Samantha walked up to her father and brother and gently raised their hands. "I hope you won't blame me, after all, I am now the Queen of the Targaryen family. In many matters, I will consider my husband's choices more."
"How could we?" Dragonzel smiled slightly. "My little Princess, Father will support you."
"The Varezes family will abide by their oath." Rhaegor looked at his sister seriously. "Day and night remain, but Samantha, please also tell cousin Viserys that we know about his communications with the Martell family, those fellows from the Stormlands, and some people in our territory over the years. We will abide by the sacred oath, and we ask him to abide by his oath as well."
Samantha smiled; she naturally knew that Viserys's actions could not possibly escape her father's and brother's intelligence networks.
Did he think Tigaro was eating free food?
But she also knew her father's and brother's love for her, and her brother's terrifying ability to keep his oaths.
"Brother, may the seven gods bless you."
"And may the seven gods bless you, sister." Rhaegor hastily drew a seven-pointed star on his chest. Neither he nor his sister really believed in the seven gods, after all, their father was much more like a god than the seven gods.
But they were used to it.
The young man bid farewell to his sister and walked towards Star Song, who had grown significantly in these past few years.
This black dragon, with its silver-golden star patterns, had grown several sizes larger in these five years. The disc-shaped horn-crown on its head, resembling a crown, had also grown considerably larger, looking even more like a massive crown.
In terms of sheer size, it was now even approaching the former "Red Queen" Meleys. It is estimated that if it continues to grow at this rate, it will surpass Dreamfyre next year, becoming the third largest dragon in Westeros.
Some large species are truly terrifying.
"Samantha, I am leaving these fifty guards with you." Dragonzel looked at the somewhat empty Black Palace. "And this palace, when we are not here, this palace also belongs to you. Protect yourself, Samantha."
"Don't worry, Father." Samantha confidently looked at Zhuohuo: "I am your daughter; I will not disappoint you."
She said in her heart.
I will definitely be the bond that makes the Varezes and Targaryen families like one.
Dragonzel looked at his daughter for a long, long time.
Then he sighed deeply and turned to walk towards Vermithor.
The roar of the dragons could even be heard in King's Landing. On this day, the citizens of King's Landing once again saw Vermithor and Star Song take to the sky.
King's Landing, Red Keep, Maegor's Holdfast.
Watching Star Song and Vermithor fly away, Viserys quietly let out a sigh of relief, then inwardly chastised himself.
Just then, Aegon's voice came through.
"Father, Father, brother is looking for you, come quickly and see."
This chapter is a transitional chapter for the next volumes, so it's a two-in-one release. There are two reports tomorrow, so the update will be a bit late, but it will still be a double update.
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