AEGON III
Aegon struck his sword hard against the shield held by Quenton Qoherys, attempting a downward slice onto his left shoulder before Qoherys got his shield up in time. He used both hands to hold the sword, allowing him greater momentum than he would get with a one-hand grip. The master-at-arms of Dragonstone held his shield true against his strikes and attempted to reach for him with a stab before Aegon regained his footing, but Aegon side-stepped before the sword struck his torso. Circling his master-at-arms for a moment, Aegon feinted to the right before he swung to the right at the side of Qoherys' shield with both hands on his sword, not too far to touch the torso but enough to get the shield away. Qoherys had kept his grip on the shield tight, but Aegon did not need for him to lose his grip. Acting quickly, he dropped his sword and grappled Qoherys, using his larger frame against him by charging at his waist, pulling him up at his knees, and sending him on his back. He used his forearms to pin his larger opponent to the ground, pressing both against his shoulders, while angling his hands to press below his throat. Keeping his feet dug on the group, he tightened his hold.
"Yield," Aegon looked at Qoherys in the eyes. Qoherys conceded defeat before Aegon got off him and helped him off the group. Qoherys dusted himself giving his student a smile.
"Now you are using everything you have, Lord Aegon. Besides the sword, your body is a very effective tool in subduing your enemy and there are many ways you could kill with your hands." Quenton pointed to his forehead, neck, and ribs. "You could pound against the skull, but that'll take a lot of force to make a small crack. Skulls are among the strongest parts of the body, so your best hope of killing a man would the neck and the areas around the ribs. With the neck, it just takes one strong punch to crush the throat or break the neck. Also, the ribs protect the vital areas of the body, including the heart and lungs. Easy to break the ribs, meaning that one bone fragment flowing in the blood would be fatal."
Aegon stared at him, impressed. "You seem to know a lot about a man's weak points, Quenton."
"I would be a shit master-at-arms if I didn't. Your weapons are not just those you could hold with your hands. A good warrior uses everything at his disposal, everything from his hands to even a rock. A lot of damage could be done when you hit a steel helm with a rock in the right places, although it will not be pretty."
As they were talking about the many ways to fight, Aegon had to ask. "Quenton, what do you think about how my good-brother fights?"
"Jaenyx?" Quenton saw most of the practice sessions between Aegon, Jaenyx, Visenya, and Orys. "Well, his speed and agility surpasses even Visenya's and he knows how to keep cool in a fight. Those Yi-Tish swords may not have a lot of reach compared to a longsword, but their speed when swung complements Jaenyx's. He also seems well-versed in unarmed combat, if his kicks are any indication."
Aegon remembered the last time they practiced without swords. Jaenyx would strike him in quick succession, his right and left arms and legs striking his sides as Aegon tried in vain to block all of them. His kicks while jumping in the air or when sweeping him off-balance were particularly nasty, the power behind them akin to when horses kick. The way he used his legs and jumped reminded Aegon more like how monkeys moved: too fast and very annoying after a while.
"But?" Aegon could tell Quenton had more to say.
"Jaenyx's style of fighting might work against unarmored opponents and it certainly made him more flexible and robust than most men his age, even you, Aegon." Aegon snorted, admitting that he could never be as fast as his good-brother. "However, if he fought against knights in full plate armor and used his swords in combat, he will have a hard time."
"How so?"
"Well, one thing you and Orys have over Jaenyx is brawn. You practiced powerful strikes with your sword and hands for most of your training, which your body adjusted to and made you very capable in matches of strength. Also, you and Orys have strong punches, which are certainly more useful in a fight than kicking. As pretty as Jaenyx's swords are, they're mostly good at slashing and would not do well against steel plate armor. Jaenyx could probably last very long in battle due to his body being used to strenuous activity, but you and Orys are more accustomed to the knightly ways of fighting. Therefore, you know where to strike against plate armor and how to take full advantage of your sword's long reach. Strength is at the core of a knight's fighting style, which you would need in Westeros. To be honest, I would not like my chances if I had learned how to fight in a fashion similar to your good-brother should I go up against the warriors throughout Westeros."
Aegon took this all in. Jaenyx could use his hands well enough and had a decent punch, but he used his kicks more often. In the training yard, that worked because none of them had full armor on. But Quenton's take on his style made Aegon reevaluate it.
"Couldn't the same be said Visenya? Like Jaenyx, she's also fast and agile in fighting."
Quenton shook his head. "That is true, but your sister grew up accustomed to the fighting ways of Westeros. She may not have the body that is sufficient enough for her to last in a match of strength, but she closely observed how knights and those of Westeros combat each other. She then compensated by exploiting the weak areas of a man and moving faster. So her way of fighting would work well within the confines of Westerosi combating. The same cannot be said for Jaenyx."
Aegon nodded. "I see." He also wondered how Jaenyx might fare if he merely kicked his through enemies.
"One other thing I will say in favor of Jaenyx is that he was strength of mind. However he trained made him less likely to crack under pressure, which is what every warrior needs in battle. Maybe if he became more accustomed to the fighting ways of Westeros, he would do well."
"I see. Thanks, Quenton." Aegon put down his sword and left the training yard, his session done for the day.
Walking back to the castle, Aegon moved through the halls to conduct the lordly affairs that would one day be his full responsibility. As of now, he helped their lord father sift through the many pieces of parchment that had to read and signed. He was eight and ten and his father decided to entrust him with the responsibility of working with his cousin Daemon Velaryon in directing the increased ship traffic through the Blackwater Bay, much of which came because of what Dragonstone had recently become.
One year had gone by since Jaenyx came on Cloudwynd and his people. Within a week of arriving, he had married Visenya and helped unite the last two dragonlord families into one. Two weeks after that, Aegon had married Rhaenys, in a much grander fashion than his good-brother's. Although they both agreed to marry in Valyrian fashion after witnessing what had occurred at Visenya and Jaenyx's wedding, Rhaenys wanted their wedding to be a splendid affair and had asked Taygor to tone down his wedding proceedings as to avoid discomfort among their more numerous guests. As expected, Taygor refused but only relented when Jaenyx asked him to do so as a favor to Rhaenys. About one hundred guests were present at the wedding between their sister and their good-brother, while close to three hundred dined at the feast after Rhaenys and Aegon exchanged their vows.
Although they lived separately, they all still lived on Dragonstone and could see each other every day. Aegon could not help but smile at how inseparable Jaenyx and Visenya became in the days after their wedding, his sister finally finding a man who could understand her and who never tried to restrict who she was.
The Valyrian houses that came with Jaenyx all lived up to their reputation, in particular the Rahitheons. Aevon Rahitheon, head of his house, turned the lands of Dragonstone they settled on into fields that yielded more than enough to feed Dragonstone's population. One of the challenges that faced Dragonstone and made it necessary for them to import food from the lords throughout the Blackwater Bay lay in the island's hilly and uneven terrain, particularly the areas right next to the Dragonmont, which made it difficult to plow fields in a similar fashion to farms on flat ground. However, Aevon Rahitheon said that the volcanic ash of the island made the soil incredibly fertile and all they needed was to adapt to the lack of flat grounds accordingly.
What Aegon saw next marveled him in its simplicity. Instead of making the grounds of Dragonstone flatter for plowing, Aevon had his people dig into the hilly and uneven terrain and cut them into a series of succeeding platforms that resembled stairs. Each platform was called a lynchet, and Aegon learned that farming on lynchets was quite common back during the Freehold since the Fourteen Flames precluded farming on flat ground and thus making it necessary for early Valyria to compensate for their initial geographical limitations.
Although a sight to behold, a major obstacle had to overcome before the new lynchets could yield a harvest. Dragonstone had no sufficient source of drinking water that could be used to grow their crops and they were surrounded by the sea. However, Aegon saw the Rahitheons put their partial ancestry from Rhoynish water wizards to use in solving their water problem. Flooding the fields with seawater, the ritual they used involved a song, where they would offer their voice to the seawater in return for an amount of it becoming drinkable. After that, the water had become drinkable and allowed for them to plant their first crops on Dragonstone. But like all magic, water magic came at a price. Lacking the pure blood carried by the Rhoynish princes and princesses of old and away from the waters of the Rhoyne, the rituals would leave Aevor and his brood without their voices for at least a week. Fortunately, they recovered just soon enough to do the rituals again and being making the most out of the remaining years of summer.
Although unable to talk, Aevor Rahitheon was able to construct his first forge to making his first batch of Valyrian steel since they left the Basilisk Isles. Aegon knew that dragonfire was required to make Valyrian steel, which their dragons provided. However, what he did not know was that a drop of dragonblood, some of which were sealed in a vial by the Rahitheons, was also needed before the metal got into the mold. Taygor Leniar admitted that he did not know the full properties of dragon's blood since they could use one drop only once and there were too few amounts of it to fully explore what dragon's blood could do. However, it was undeniable that a drop of their blood into Valyrian steel contained the essence of fire magic, which was then passed into the steel once the drop mixed into the molten metal. That, and dragonflame, both of which they now held exclusively.
Dragonstone's first batch of fourteen Valyrian steel swords were completed within two weeks, with two being sold in Oldtown for an enormous sum and another two getting similar results in Pentos. Soon, people of high repute made their way to Dragonstone to purchase a Valyrian steel tool, but they had to turn away some potential patrons since they could not realistically hope to meet every demand. Still, the returns made from the Valyrian steel forging enriched Dragonstone, with a portion going towards the House Targaryen for their hosting of the forges.
One year passed by in which Dragonstone became a center for Valyrian steel forging and became self-sufficient in its agricultural needs. Traffic increased in the Blackwater Bay, making the island's position even more important. Commissions for new Valyrian steel swords, including one from the King of the Rock himself, filled the rookery alongside the usual business of Dragonstone's lords. Aegon's Velaryon cousins appeared more often around Dragonstone's waters in their ships to protect the island from unwelcome visitors, working alongside the ships provided by Jaenyx.
Besides seeing House Rahitheon work their wonders and House Leniar breathing new life to Dragonstone with their knowledge of blood healing, Aegon got glimpses of the martial prowess of House Tarareon, led by their head Ragaemor Tarareon. They did not have the horses that they built their reputation on, but Aegon was astonished by their skill with the bow, pike, and javelin. A good archer could expect to shoot ten to twelve arrows at every interval, while the Tarareons could pull off twenty at least. With increased speed came with decreased accuracy, but their point was not to shoot to kill at a distance. With their horses, they would ride close to the enemy line and inflict as much damage as possible while provoking enemy cavalry and infantry to give chase. The chase would last for several days, long enough for the enemy to exhaust themselves before the Tarareon cavalry would turn around and attack while their spear infantry would charge from hidden positions on the sides. This tactic was how the Tarareons held back the Rhoynar in their many wars against Valyria, as the Tarareons would draw out the numerically-superior Rhoynish armies from their positions and destroy their formations on more favorable ground. This strategy denied the Rhoynar the strategic initiative, delaying them long enough for Valyria to assemble their dragons and bring enough reinforcements to push the enemy back and eventually subjugate them. Aegon had learned from his studies with Quenton that executing a successful defensive strategy was far more difficult than those related to the offensive, and the Tarareons had perfected their abilities in mobile defense over centuries. Wonder how they might fare against knights charging at them in plate armor?
All in all, a good year had passed for Dragonstone. They no longer had to worry about food, they were becoming wealthier with the coin made from selling Valyrian steel, and they were no longer uneasy by how many antagonistic houses surrounded them throughout the Blackwater Bay.
Aegon arrived at his father's door and knocked. "Come in!" he heard a heartily shout. I've been hearing more of that as of late.
Entering the solar and looking upon their father, Aegon remained astonished at the changes the Lord of Dragonstone underwent over the last five years. Before Jaenyx came, their father had been in poor health and Maester Harrion predicted before returning to the Citadel that he would not live to see fifty name days due to an affliction affecting his heart from the abnormal rate he felt on their father's neck. Now, here he was looking more lively than ever and in better health. Aegon suspected the rings that Jaenyx gave to their father had a part to play in restoring his health, but then wished he never asked. Jaenyx explained that his grandfather, Baesellar Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles, was too afraid of death and had coerced Taygor's grandfather to perform a blood ritual to extend his life. He then bled out Jaenyx's grandmother on her deathbed and used her blood and two drops of Cloudwynd's blood to coat the rubies on his rings, with the lifeblood of both his grandmother and Cloudwynd keeping him alive. He then lived out the rest of his wretched life, regretting his actions too late and forever damaging his relationship with his son, Jaenyx's father, before it all became too much for him and took off his rings. Aegon's first instinct was to take the rings off their father, not wanting him to live on such cursed trinkets. However, Jaenyx reassured him that unlike with his grandfather Baesellar, the full effects of the blood magic within the rings were reduced when someone not carrying Belaerys blood wore them. Thus, their father's life was not as tied to the rings as his grandfather. As Lord Targaryen had dragonblood within him, the rings' blood magic remained somewhat and allowed him to restore his health.
"Ah, Egg, glad you could make it," their father smiled. "We have much to do today."
"Of course, father." Aegon sat down across, looking through pieces of parchment.
"First order of business," their father became serious. "Report from Daemon's patrol in the waters near the Cracklaw Point. He says that there is increased activity of Ironborn there, but is confident that the Celtigars can keep them in check for now."
"Should we get cousin Daemon to send more ships to that area?"
"No, we cannot leave any of the waters bereft of one Velaryon vessel. We could have Maerys Tarareon use her ships to reinforce the northern waters if need be. They may not be built for war, but they could prevent the Ironborn from getting audacious on numbers alone."
Aegon nodded, but was concerned about involving Maerys Tarareon in any sea activity alongside Daemon. The sister of Ragaemor Tarareon, she was more foul-mouthed than Daemon and even more uncompromising as a sea captain. Anyone in her crews that got out of line were beaten senselessly, stripped, and left hanging on her ship's masts for days. Daemon may have had his moments where he needed to instill discipline among his crews, but never to that degree. Aegon suspected that sailing across thousands of miles of sea without a strong possibility of reaching their destination warranted a personality that did not countenance failure of any kind. Maerys and Daemon frequently clashed over their methods at sea, so Jaenyx and Aegon resolved to keep them as far apart as possible.
"What of news from the rest of the Blackwater Bay?" Aegon asked.
"From what I can read, same old news. The usual unrest from Black Harren's vanity project from the Rosbys, Darklyns, and other lords. Been thirty-one years since he went off on building that castle, 'the biggest fortress Westeros will ever see' as he boasted. Hopefully, he doesn't break enough backs and put more in chains lest he dine alone in that massive hall he's about to complete."
Everyone in Westeros were very aware of the notoriety of Harren Hoare, otherwise known as Harren the Black. An Ironborn, his ancestors had seized the Riverlands from Storm King Arrec Durrandon and large-scale skirmishes between the Stormlanders and Ironborn were an everyday occurrence for those living in the Blackwater Bay. Upon becoming King of the Isles and the Rivers, Harren set about building a fortress that he boasted would be the biggest Westeros has ever seen, with a great hall to have thirty-five hearths. No one was very surprised at the amount of unrest in the Riverlands, as Harren the Black drained the region of its people and resources for his castle. Having that castle, which Harren would name Harrenhal, was his obsession for over thirty years and he was far from completed.
"What of news from King Argilac?"
Their father shrugged as he looked through more parchment. "Nothing that is new. He has one healthy child to his name, but no one in the Stormlands would follow a woman as a ruler. Pity, I hear that Princess Argella is as fierce as she is beautiful, just like her father in his better days. As expected, his hold on his kingdom is slipping."
Aegon sighed. The strength of a ruler came from the strengths that a ruler brings to the table, not on whether he is a man or woman. So tiring. He could never imagine putting Rhaenys to the sidelines when he became Lord of Dragonstone and he saw how Jaenyx included Visenya in all of his decisions. It made him wonder whether there will be a time when one's capabilities determined their fitness to rule rather than their sex.
Aegon looked through more of the parchment. There were bills of sales from each new Valyrian steel sword, shipments of produce coming to and from the island, minor disputes between Dragonstone's original and new residents, and other duties that helped ensure Dragonstone was successfully administered. If only Orys was here to help.
Aegon's brother Orys was currently in Claw Isle to assist the Celtigars on a minor issue and he was expected to return before the day was out. Orys was not as taken to lordly duties like Aegon, preferring to train with the Valyrian steel axe gifted to him by Jaenyx and chase women. Aegon was surprised that he didn't father any bastards like their father with Orys given how many women he pursued. While Aegon and Orys were seen as the brawn in the family, Aegon inherited some of their father's intelligence while Orys inherited the philanderer tendencies that so afflicted their father in his younger days.
They heard a knock. "Come in," their father called out.
"Milord," the servant ran up to their table, with a nervous look on his face. "Something has happened."
"What is it?" Their father gave his full attention upon seeing the urgency in the servant's face.
"A ship is nearing Dragonstone's docks, with the banners belonging to House Hoare."
Aegon and their father stood up, shock evident. "We better get to the docks quickly, father."
"I'll go first. Get Jaenyx, Vis, Rhae, and your mother down to the docks. We need to show a united front with whoever from House Hoare is coming."
"Of course," Aegon ran out the door. He knew that it was a cause for worry when an Ironborn came near someone's home, and they were coming here! He got their mother out of her chambers and Rhaenys out of theirs before running off to the keep where Jaenyx and Visenya lived. It was on the northwest corner of Dragonstone but fortunately not far from the castle.
Aegon ran as fast as he could and soon saw the keep. Unlike Dragonstone looking like a nest of dragons, their keep looked like two dragons fighting for dominance over a stone pole. Like the castle, their keep was made of black stones. It was previously used by their grandfather Lord Daemion Targaryen in his daily fishing and hunting excursions throughout the Blackwater Bay.
Aegon knocked frantically at the door. "Vis, Jae, open up! It's urgent!"
A servant, Lehna if Aegon remembered correctly, opened the door. "Lord Aegon. What brings you here?"
"Never mind that," Aegon did not have time for pleasantries now. "Where's my good-brother and sister?"
Before she could answer, they heard two dragon roars. Turning around and looking up, Aegon saw Vhagar and Cloudwynd descend from the sky. Landing near the keep, both dragons lowered themselves for their riders to slide down. Jaenyx and Visenya gave each other a deep kiss before they noticed Aegon in front of them.
"Egg! What are you doing here?" Visenya walked up to him before giving him a hug.
Aegon returned the hug. "Father said to get both of you to the docks. We have an Ironborn ship coming towards us, carrying the banners of House Hoare."
Visenya's eyes widened, as did Jaenyx's. He became familiar with the intricate politics of Westeros, especially with the reputation of Harren the Black. "Why would an Ironborn come here?" In the past year, Jaenyx learned how to speak the common tongue and could switch comfortably between High Valyrian and the common tongue, though he still preferred the former whenever talking with family and especially Visenya.
"That's what we're going to find out. Father wants to have all of us together as a show of strength, so let's hurry down there."
They all ran down to the town at the base of the Dragonmont, with the docks outstretched towards the sea. Their father called together fifty of their sworn swords while sending a message to Orys to return to Dragonstone with haste. Aegon and Visenya did not have time to get either Blackfyre, the greatsword Flame Screecher that Jaenyx gifted to him, or Dark Sister, but they felt confident in making do with their regular swords. Plus, they all knew how to fight with their bare hands and had dragons to help. The ironborn reavers will not know what hit them should they decide to attack them.
They all saw an ironborn longship get closer to the docks, the banner of House Hoare flying high in the sky. There was only one ship, which was unusual since ironborn reaver moved in packs like wolves. Aegon counted about sixty men aboard, all armed with axes and some carrying bows. Dragonstone's own archers readied to shoot, with their bows drawn. As the ship came closer, Aegon could see one man badly beaten and another tied up. The beaten man looked like one of their own, his silver hair ruffled up and one of his purple eyes swollen from what was obviously a blunt strike to his head. What in the hells is going on here?
The ship docked, the crew throwing out their ropes to tie their ship with, while a small group led by a tall, imposing man escorted the badly-injured Valyrian and their prisoner. Aegon looked at the man leading them. Axes hanging off his sides, he had trimmed black hair, a dark beard, and blue eyes while wearing a leather breastplate and a loose black cloak. But there was something about his eyes that made Aegon more uneasy. Unlike other ironborn reaver who were all too eager to move upon their prey, he scanned his surroundings to figure how best to take them down. This man was acting too… patiently. Who is this?
The man outstretched his arms away from his axes to signal his peaceful intentions. "Which one of you is the Lord of Dragonstone?" the man asked, offering a small smile to put them at rest, which didn't.
"That will be me," their father stepped forward as he stood straight. "I am Aerion Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone. And you are?"
"Oh yes. How rude of me," the man put his hands down but made sure to have them off his axes. "I am Darvin Hoare, third son of King Harren Hoare and Prince of the Isles and Rivers. I must apologize, my lord, of my unexpected arrival at your home, but there is an urgent matter that must be resolved before… there are serious misunderstandings between our people."
Their father narrowed his eyes. "What sort of misunderstandings are we referring to?"
Darvin Hoare gestured for his men to bring forward the Valyrian man and the bound ironborn. "Is this one of your men, my lord?" he pointed to the Valyrian.
Aegon turned to see Jaenyx's eyes darken. "Vaeron?" The Valyrian nodded, but grimaced in pain while he did.
"You know him?" their father asked.
"Vaeron Rahitheon. He's one of Aevon's nephews. He was supposed to deliver a few Valyrian steel swords to be sold on the market at Lannisport, but the buyers said that he never showed up and he was gone for weeks. Now I know why." He turned to look at Darvin Hoare straight in the eyes, his piercing gaze staring back at Hoare's predatory one. "Did you people rob him and kidnap him? Is that why he looks like that?" he spat accusingly while his common tongue had a distinct Valyrian lilt.
"And who are you?" Darvin Hoare looked incredulously at Jaenyx.
Aegon fought the urge to decapitate him for addressing his good-brother with disrespect. However, their father spoke first. "This is my good-son, Lord Jaenyx Belaerys of the Basilisk Isles, and the liege lord of the man your people assaulted. You will address him with respect."
Darvin Hoare took another look at Jaenyx. "My apologies, Lord Belaerys. I meant no disrespect." Jaenyx was unconvinced of his sincerity, as was Aegon, Visenya, Rhaenys, and their father and mother. "And as you are his liege lord, I must extend my apologies for what my men did to yours. It is one of the reasons I have come to your shores this day."
"What do you mean?" their father queried.
"My man, the one who is tied up," Darvin Hoare tugged on the ropes binding the man. "He committed an unprovoked attack on yours, and such actions can lead to open conflict between our houses. To prevent that from happening, I offer you the satisfaction on what is to be done with him as well as return the items that he stole from yours." Hoare signalled for his men to bring the tied men forward as well as three Valyrian steel longswords wrapped in a bundle, which he gave to the Valyrian. "You can go now," he said to him, who walked over to his lords while Jaenyx embraced him before telling him to go back to his uncle. "Lord Belaerys, as it was your man that was wronged, what do you wish to be done with the perpetrator?"
Aegon watched as Jaenyx wordlessly walked over to the bound ironborn and pulled him towards the middle between the groups. He then saw Jaenyx draw his Yi-Tish sword, which prompted the other ironborn to grab for their axes, before he sliced through his neck. The head rolled down off the dock into the sea while the body stood there, as if not realizing that it was dead while blood oozed out of the severed vessels of the exposed neck. After a few seconds of annoying standing there, the body collapsed. Jaenyx pulled out a rag and wiped off the blood from his blade before sheathing it and walking back to his family.
Aegon blinked, not expecting Jaenyx's frigidity while taking a man's life, even if the man was an ironborn. Rhaenys also looked surprised while Visenya continued to stare at Hoare, as if expecting nothing less to be done by her husband. Darvin did not hide his own shock, as Jaenyx's actions happened much too quickly for him to process them.
"That's a nice blade you got there, Lord Belaerys," Hoare recovered from his shock. "Where did you get it?"
"That's not really your concern, Prince Hoare," Jaenyx answered. "You offered satisfaction for what your man did and I now have it. But that is not really the only reason why you're here, yes?"
Hoare kept his small smile on his face. "I admit that I have wanted to come here for some months, but considering my father's reputation, I believed that I would not have gotten a favorable reception. I thought that offering you justice was a good way to ease your worries so that we could discuss some business."
Their father spoke up. "Does your father know you're here, Prince Darvin?"
"I am here of my own accord, Lord Targaryen. The men that came with me are loyal, which is why I brought them here."
Their father crossed his arms. "And why should I treat with you, Prince Darvin? Considering that it was your man who assaulted one of my good-son's men, I have half a mind to simply tell you to turn around and never come back, as you clearly cannot control everyone under your command."
Hoare's smile disappeared at their father's biting remark, but kept calm. "I believe that what I have to offer you, Lord Targaryen, would be of great benefit to both your family and myself. Although, I would prefer if we discussed in more detail in your solar."
Their father contemplated the situation, before nodding. "All right. You can say your piece, but with all of my family present. You leave your men here at the dock. Should you or your men try anything, we will have no qualms about killing you and sending your head back to your father while feeding what's left to our dragons, war be damned. Do you understand, Prince Darvin?"
Hoare nodded. "Fair enough. Most in the Blackwater Bay have seen your dragons and although I am unsure of their capabilities, I am not stupid enough to harm you or your kin in your home."
Aegon and the others followed their father through the hallways of Dragonstone, with Jaenyx, Visenya, and Quenton behind Hoare. Looking back at Prince Darvin, he knew that the prince was looking through the hallways and the castle like a shadowcat hunting its prey. He was too silent, too calm compared to other ironborn that he came across. Not only that, there was something about Prince Darvin that felt wrong to Aegon and he was pretty sure that his father and the others sensed it. There was a… slipperiness that was exuding from his being, which Aegon made out from how easily he gave up his man. An ironborn would never be punished for stealing, no less offer one wronged by a reaver satisfaction. What is he up to?
Reaching the solar, their father and mother sat at the center of one side of the table, with Aegon and Rhaenys sitting at their father's right, while Jaenyx and Visenya sat on the left. Prince Darvin sat on the other side, alone.
"All right, Prince Darvin. What do you want to discuss?" their father did not try to hide his impatience in having the ironborn prince leave the castle soon.
"I understand that Dragonstone has became a center of Valyrian steel production. Word travels fast around Westeros, ever since your people put those on the market in Oldtown."
"And what is your interest in all of this, Prince Darvin?" Jaenyx asked, also impatient.
"Well, I don't know how you forge Valyrian steel and nor am I interested. But, as your family now controls the only place that can produce it, I believe that we can come to an understanding regarding future production."
"And what kind of understanding do you seek?" Aegon wanted the ironborn to get to his point.
"However you forge Valyrian steel, I can guess you need steel first and if you hope to expand your client base, you need more of it. And I can help you with that."
"Do you mean that you'll provide the iron ores needed to increase our steel capacity?" their father had already figured the direction of Prince Darvin's words.
"Precisely. I give you exclusive access to our iron ores, shipped directly from the Iron Islands, without anyone in the middle. You will have access to quality iron at very reasonable rates. In return—-"
"You get to line your pockets with a cut from all future sales of Valyrian steel weapons? Is that right?" Jaenyx also figured out his intentions.
Prince Darvin laughed nervously. "Well, you don't make it seem too flattering, but you will be able to increase your profits and forging capacities from this."
His patience extinguished, their father rubbed his face and groaned, not bothering to hide how unimpressed he was. Aegon and the others also felt that, but were more restrained about it. "If we needed to get more iron, we would have done the talking, not the other way around. Plus, more Valyrian steel swords leads to more unwanted attention, the attention that this family is receiving at this moment."
Prince Darvin did a double take. "My lord?" But he suppressed his surprise at his offer being spurned.
"We appreciate you offering my man justice for him being assaulted and kidnapped, but that does not hide the fact that you failed to stop that in the first place," Jaenyx spoke up. "Of course, from what I learned about your people, thievery and assault are unfortunately highly-regarded for sea rats."
They all saw Prince Darvin simmer. "I came in good faith and returned what was stolen, Lord Belaerys, and you repay me with insults?"
"You yourself stated that you wanted to speak to us for months, and you merely used my man's predicament as an excuse to come here. So, what good faith are we referring to?" Jaenyx retorted.
"In addition," their father stepped in. "Your offer does not hold a lot of weight since your father doesn't know about it. In other words, we cannot trust your word, 'in good faith.'"
"You best be careful, my lord," Prince Darvin pointed a finger at him. "You would not want a severe misunderstanding to result from this meeting."
"Are you threatening us, ironborn?" Visenya stood up, tempted to move across the table and start pounding on Hoare's head.
"ENOUGH!" their father slapped his hand on the table while also standing up. "We are earning enough coin from our current forging capacity and we have no reason to increase our profits. Also, you came here without first getting your father's blessing, meaning that there is no guarantee you'll keep your end of the bargain. However, you made an unwise decision to issue threats in our home!"
"I never said such—"
"You implied," their father emphasizing the last word. "That's enough of a threat. Therefore, there is nothing more to discuss between us. Guard!" Two sworn swords entered the solar. "Escort Prince Hoare back to his boat. We're done here."
Prince Darvin shook his head and scoffed. "You will regret this, Targaryen. I will show you why you never cross a Prince of House Hoare, no less an ironborn." The swords moved close to his sides. "I can get there myself, if you don't mind." He left the solar in a huff.
After Hoare left, their father turned to Aegon. "Get word to Daemon. Tell him to increase patrols in the north and west of the island." He turned to Jaenyx. "Could you spare your man Tarareon and his sister in protecting both Driftmark and Claw Isle?"
"Of course, good-father," Jaenyx nodded. "I would not expect Hoare to let our rejection of his offer go unanswered."
"Kirimvose," their father replied.
"You really expect Darvin Hoare to do something as rash as attacking us?" their mother asked, slightly worried.
"If there is anything to be said about ironborn in general, it is that they usually respond to slights with savagery. He may not have his father's backing right now, but he could be in command of more men and ships than he brought here. If he's anything like his father, he would bring harm to us because of what we did."
"Father, should we prepare the dragons?" Rhaenys asked. "They will be of great help in making Darvin Hoare think twice before attacking us."
"Most definitely, but we wouldn't want to show our hand yet," Visenya responded. "Everyone in Westeros believe our dragons to be rumors and there's power in keeping secret their capabilities until the right moment."
"Agreed," their father answered. "The continent only sees us possessing three thousand men and fewer than a hundred ships, half of which were not built for war. Let them continue to think that, as overconfidence breeds severe mistakes."
The door opened, with Orys coming in. Jaenyx just shook his hand, their relationship still tense, while everyone else hugged him. Everyone except their mother, who nodded at him.
"I saw the ironborn prince leave the docks as I arrived," Orys said. "I trust that he didn't get what he came for."
"Most definitely not," their father affirmed. "I smelled his desire from miles away. All the same, the lot of them."
"Shouldn't we put our people more on alert?" Orys inquired.
"Already done, brother," Aegon replied. "We will have cousin Daemon be more vigilant in the north and west while Jaenyx will provide his Tarareon men and female captain. Along with our dragons, we should be ready."
Orys nodded. "Good, good. We may need to hold off thousands of them, considering who the prince's father is."
"Hopefully, it won't come to that," their father spoke. "Black Harren will not do anything until his vanity project is completed, which is still a long time from now. More importantly, it is no secret that the riverlords loathe him, though that word is not sufficient enough to describe their feelings towards him. So he won't risk pulling his troops from the riverlands to support his unruly son lest he invite revolt at the first chance."
"Agreed," Orys responded.
They heard a knock at the door, with their father beckoning the servant to enter. "Milord, we have a message from Storm's End, specifically written by King Argilac himself."
Surprise filled the room. "A message? From the Arrogant king himself?" Everyone save the stormlords referred to him by that title, as they all knew of his decreasing grip on the reality of his situation. He still fashioned himself as a great warrior, a reputation well-earned from repelling the Dornish as a boy and killing King Garse Gardener at Summerfield, but conveniently ignored his increasingly loose skin and the numbers of gray hair replacing his black hair. More importantly, he failed to produce a male heir and nobody in Westeros would follow a woman as ruler. Aegon internally sighed at that last one. If only Argella Durrandon was born a dragon, then she would never experience disdain for being a capable woman like Rhae and Vis.
Their father snatched the message before dismissing the servant. He read through it at least four times, dismay increasing each time, before passing the message to Aegon. "Read it out loud."
Aegon gazed at the message, slowly understanding why their father was so perturbed. "'To Lord Aerion Targaryen of Dragonstone, I have come across information from my agents in the riverlands that would no doubt distress you. Three weeks ago, two bannerman of Prince Darvin Hoare set upon and assaulted one of your men while transporting items to be sold at Lannisport. One was killed in the attempt while the other succeeded. I have reason to believe that Prince Darvin arranged for your man to be robbed and kidnapped in order to force discussion of future dealings between you, which could only mean that his father had knowledge of such an attack on your people. As I have battled against Black Harren for years now, it would seem we have common cause against the ironborn. Therefore, I propose an alliance to be made between Storm's End and Dragonstone, which would be sealed with the union between my maiden daughter Princess Argella and your son Lord Aegon Targaryen.'" He hesitated to read on after that offer while also catching Rhaenys' hitched breath. "'After we triumph against Black Harren, you shall have claim on all lands from south of the Blackwater Bay to the Bay of Crabs east of Saltpans. I beseech you to consider my offer, lest we both perish. Signed, Argillac of House Durrandon, First of His Name, Lord of Storm's End, Storm King.'"
Silence filled the solar, Argilac's offer hitting them colder than ice.
"How did he know that Jaenyx's man was assaulted?" Orys broke the silence.
"He revealed it in his letter, but that's not the important part. The timing between Prince Hoare's arrival today and Argilac's letter is just too much of a… coincidence." Aerion paced back and forth in thought.
"Do you mean to say that Darvin Hoare and Argilac the Arrogant are working together?" Aegon pondered.
"No, no. Argilac will never ally with an ironborn, and the same could be said with our ironborn prince. The circumstances seem too… fortuitous."
"Are you referring to the delay in Argilac informing us of what happened to Jae's man?" Visenya asked.
"That's what is bothersome about this. He had a rough idea on when the incident occurred, but chose to inform us now, after our ironborn prince came. Possibly, he's concluded that we're under threat from the ironborn and sees us as an ally."
"Or," Jaenyx stepped in. "He might see us as weak because we seemingly let the ironborn attack our people with impunity and would see us as desperate for protection."
"That's very likely, Jaenyx. But how do we do approach this carefully?"
"We cannot accept the Arrogant king's offer, as I have no need of a second wife and there is no reason to believe that his offer of lands is genuine," Aegon declared.
"Of course there is no reason," their father answered. "And I can smell a threat from miles away. Do you think that he's asking us to consider his offer nicely? He talked of our mutual destruction."
"You can't possibly mean that he'll attack us," Rhaenys contended.
"Hopefully not, Rhae. But he believes that we are weak because we couldn't protect on of our own from being assaulted."
"What do you suggest we do, father?" Aegon asked.
A servant burst in to solar, the second time they were so interrupted. But their father saw the worry on the servant's face and ignored this breach of etiquette. "What is it?"
"Milord, one of the Rahitheon men sent to sell Valyrian steel weapons at Oldtown disappeared at the Wendwater. He was supposed to meet up with a boatman at the Grassy Vale, but he never showed up."
Their father rubbed his face, as did Aegon, Rhaenys, Orys, and their mother from enough worries and shocks today. Jaenyx and Visenya, however, were livid. From what they knew about the letter, it was very possible that the Arrogant king either knew about the Rahitheon man going missing or was involved in it to force their hand. What did we just get into?