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"Damn it, hurry up and move the water!"
The captain of the guards, who had been dispatched earlier by Jacaerys, barked orders as he oversaw the efforts to extinguish the flames and manage the aftermath—disposing of the bodies, ensuring no traces were left behind.
"Don't touch the assassins' corpses recklessly. Wait until the fire is out before thoroughly checking for any intelligence!"
At the same time, two other guards stood with drawn longswords, their faces etched with vigilance, as they kept a close watch over Jacaerys and his companions..
In truth, the guards' presence was unnecessary.
With Vermex by their side, no one would dare approach Jacaerys and his group.
Whoosh!
At this moment, Jacaerys acted as though he was performing some sort of ritualistic superstition, akin to the ancient art of drawing lottery cards in a game.
First, he carefully washed the blood from his hands. Then, after a moment of focused deep breathing, he began to refresh the "clumsy" pet trait.
[Agile (White): Agility +10%. Do you wish to replace the pet's current trait?]
Perhaps it was the effect of his peculiar method, but on the second random refresh, the new trait pleased Jacaerys immensely. Without hesitation, he replaced the previous, undesirable trait.
Considering the balance of positive and negative factors, the change effectively boosted Vermex's agility by 20%.
Lying lazily on the ground just moments before, Vermex seemed to sense the shift in its body.
It rose slowly, then tilted its head, looking at Jacaerys as if asking for advice.
"Fly"
At Jacaerys's command, Vermex immediately took to the sky, its wings slicing through the air with powerful, smooth flaps.
The 20% agility boost was substantial.
High above Dragonclaw Village, Vermex now darted and soared with remarkable speed and precision, its movements sharp and controlled, filled with excitement.
The three children below watched in awe, their faces filled with longing and envy as they saw Vermex soaring freely through the sky.
Lucerys's dragon, Arrax, was still growing and not yet capable of flight.
Baela's Moondancer, even smaller than Arrax, had yet to spread its wings.
As for Rhaena, her bonded dragon egg had not hatched yet, and she looked on with resentment at Aemond, who had taken her mother's dragon, Vhagar.
Jacaerys, however, felt differently from the others. His heart was filled with anticipation.
At this rate of growth, it wouldn't be long before he could truly become a real dragonrider!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of powerful wings slicing through the air intensified. A massive red dragon suddenly appeared in the sky above Dragonclaw Village.
Compared to this imposing red dragon, Vermex—already showing signs of draconic majesty—looked like nothing more than a harmless kitten.
The fiery red dragon, with a body length rivaling that of a Boeing airplane, was nearly half the size of Vhagar.
Its physique, however, was exceptionally slender, reminiscent of a wyvern from a certain online game Jacaerys remembered from his previous life.
What made this fiery red dragon particularly unique were the membranous wings that extended from its hind legs and tail, varying in size.
This unconventional structure, so distinct from traditional dragons, granted it unparalleled speed in flight and extraordinary agility in maneuvering through the air.
"Blood Wyrm" Caraxes.
Apart from the "Red Queen," it was the fastest dragon in flight and the mount of Prince Daemon Targaryen.
*BOOOOM!!!*
The enormous figure of Caraxes landed heavily in a flat field, shaking the ground beneath it.
Daemon, who had rushed over in haste after receiving the report, paid no mind to the ruined crops as he headed straight toward Dragonclaw Village.
It wasn't until he saw his two daughters, Baela and Rhaena, and his two stepsons, Jacaerys and Lucerys, safe and sound that he finally relaxed.
This was a clear indication that despite his unruly nature and fiery temper, the "Rogue Prince" cared deeply for his family.
"Once you've extracted any intelligence from these assassins' bodies, chop them up and feed them to the dogs," Daemon ordered coldly.
"Father, wait!"
[P.S: In the books, Jacaerys calls Daemon "Uncle Daemon." Let me know if you'd like to keep the original title or replace it.]
Daemon was about to take the children back to the castle when Jacaerys's voice stopped him.
"Little Jace, what else do you want?"
"These scoundrels dared to frighten Baela and Rhaena. I simply cannot stand it!" Jacaerys declared with a steely resolve.
He tilted his head slightly to respond, then immediately turned to issue a feeding command to Vermex, who had already landed.
Rip, crunch!
The sound of the dragon tearing into the assassins' flesh and swallowing it whole sent a wave of terror through every villager in Dragonclaw Village. They stiffened in place, their breathing shallow, as though even the slightest noise might make them the dragon's next meal.
The three other children covered their eyes, unwilling to witness the grisly sight.
Daemon, however, watched Jacaerys with flickering eyes, a faint trace of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Jacaerys knew that letting Vermex devour these assassins would inevitably bring about some negative consequences. But there was no helping it—he couldn't afford to miss any opportunity to earn trait points.
Vermex had already eaten earlier that day. Though flying and fighting had drained some of its energy, one assassin was enough to satisfy its hunger.
When no trait point notification appeared, Jacaerys discarded the dark thought that had just surfaced in his mind.
It seemed that regardless of the type of food, the daily limit of two points was fixed.
With no further use for the bodies, Jacaerys followed Daemon back to the main fortress of Dragonstone.
Upon returning to the Stone Drum Tower, Daemon instructed Jacaerys and Lucerys to visit their mother. He then personally escorted his frightened twin daughters back to their chambers.
As soon as Jacaerys entered the lord's chamber, Rhaenyra rushed toward her two sons, embracing them tightly and inspecting them for any signs of injury.
Then came a barrage of scolding.
Though her tone was harsh, Jacaerys could sense the worry and care behind her words.
Seizing the opportunity, he brought up an idea he had been pondering for some time.
"What? You want to recruit a group of commoner children your age to serve as guards?"
Rhaenyra looked at him in astonishment. After a brief moment of contemplation, she replied, "Little Jace, as long as you stay in the Stone Drum Tower, you need not worry about safety. If you want guards, I can assign them to you. What could a group of children possibly do?"
"Mother, we can't stay in the Stone Drum Tower forever. Moreover, these children are easier to control and can be taught loyalty. Even the famous White Cloaks (Kingsguard) could betray us. Am I wrong?"
Jacaerys's words immediately reminded Rhaenyra of the White Cloak who had betrayed her and now firmly sided with Queen Alicent—Ser Criston Cole.
Seeing his mother's hesitation, Jacaerys pressed on. "Mother, please grant my request. They will train alongside me and Lucerys and grow with us. They will be our White Cloaks. Our safety should be protected by those we trust!"
"I think Little Jace is right!" Daemon's voice suddenly interrupted, casual as ever. "Compared to the White Cloaks, I trust the thieves, gamblers, and killers who grew up with me in Flea Bottom more!"
At some point, Daemon, who had been lazily leaning against the door, chimed in with his usual irreverence.
"Rhaenyra, if you have other concerns, I can ask my friends from Flea Bottom to send a group of orphans. They can't read, and we could even cut out their tongues. That way, everything will stay secret!"
"No!"
The moment Daemon finished speaking, both Rhaenyra and Jacaerys simultaneously rejected the idea.
Seeing Rhaenyra signal for him to speak first, Jacaerys quickly added, "Father, children with family to care about are far more loyal. And my guards must be able to speak and read. Otherwise, they won't be able to help me with many things."
"Alright, "I'll have someone recruit fourteen children from Dragonclaw Village who are close to your age. Until they come of age, their expenses will be covered by us. After that, the cost of weapons, armor, and horses will be your responsibility."
"Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Father!"
Upon hearing Rhaenyra's words, Jacaerys immediately pulled the bewildered Lucerys to bow and express his gratitude.
Though fourteen might seem few, they would at least be his initial core group.
After sending Jacaerys and Lucerys away, Rhaenyra immediately turned to Daemon. "Have you figured out who was behind this?"
Daemon shook his head in response, "We didn't obtain any information from the twenty assassins. But you should have an idea of who it is."
"It couldn't have been Alicent!" Rhaenyra replied firmly.
"Then what about her hypocritical father?" Daemon suggested, his voice laced with suspicion.
"Okay. Starting today, we will increase the vigilance on Dragonstone. The most important thing now is to ensure the safe birth of our children!"
Upon hearing these words, Daemon's gaze softened immediately.
At the same time, he set aside his plans for revenge—at least for the moment.
..
..
[IMAGE]
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[Chapter End's]
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