CHAPTER XXXI - A STEP TOWARDS GREATNESS
The years following the birth of Aerax were mostly uneventful. With the birth of the dragon, I commissioned the renovation of the Dragonpit atop Rhaenys' Hill, and within a year, the construction was finished. For the first year, Aerax was still very small, and the dragon didn't require much space to operate in, particularly because it wasn't flying as of yet. However, by the time it was one, Aerax was growing at a much greater rate, and began to take flight. It was good then, that the Dragonpit was finally finished, because the dragon would need much more space over the coming years. With its enormous domed roof and high walls, the Dragonpit was a fitting home for Aerax, and the beast would be more than satisfied within it.
As the months wore on, Aerax grew larger and larger, and by the time the beast was three, he was already far larger than a horse. Sometimes, late at night, I could look across to Rhaenys' Hill and see Aerax's fire shining in the night sky, through the roof of the Dragonpit. Not only was he growing larger with each passing day, but stronger too. His flames burned hotter and brighter, and his roars louder. Most of the city's populace were barred from going anywhere near the top of the hill, just out of a matter of safety and principle. It was only natural that such a beast would unnerve the common folk. The herders from the surrounding countryside no doubt prospered too, as Aerax required more and more food as he grew larger, and so the coffers of the livestock merchants were never lacking in gold.
As expected, the realm proceeded with its own goings on, outside of the business of the dragon, and as such, there were other kingly matter that needed attending to. In the early months of 352, two of the Shield Isles revolted against the rule of Lady Delena Tyrell. Backed by some allies in the Westerlands, the rebels mustered nearly ten thousand men against the Tyrells- a strong force, but not near enough men to take on the full force of the Reach. Regardless, the rebels gathered on Greenshield, and began a defense of their lands, and some minor assaults on the mainland. However, reports reached the capital that a force of thirty thousand Reachmen were marching up to the mouth of the Mander, awaiting the Redwyne fleet from the Arbor. With their much larger forces and superior fleet, it was expected that the Tyrells would end the rebellion in a matter of months, if not weeks.
Months later, after word from Lady Delena that the revolt on the Shield Isles had been dealt with, word also arrived from the Martells in Sunspear. The lands of House Santagar of Spottswood had been accosted by small bands of pirates for many months now, but they were largely minor, and were scared off at the first sight of Dornish soldiers. However, this time was different. Pirate King Yurkhaz had united the Stepstones, and had sent over four thousand raiders to Dorne. The raiders plundered many villages, and took many slaves, before arriving at Spottswood itself. There, they sat outside its walls, awaiting either the surrender of the Santagars, or the perfect time to strike. The Martells were mustering a force of their own at Sunspear, to repel the invaders, but Prince Trystane, my Hand, made a personal plea that I intervene, to make sure these pirates were dealt with appropriately.
I gave the word for five thousand men to be mustered near the capital at once, and for the Royal Fleet to be prepared. While the Martells could no doubt deal with the invading force, I would take my men to accost the Stepstones personally, to ensure this nuisance was brought to a swift end. Before departing, I went to visit Aerax, as I often did. The beast was calm in my presence, more so than normal, and he seemed to even heed- perhaps understand- my words. I was stroking his neck, when he suddenly bowed low. Taken aback, I stood in silence for a moment. Aerax remained fixed in position, his head and neck low to the ground.
Unsure of what the beast meant at first, it then dawned on me. Centuries ago, the Targaryens were so close to their dragons, the beasts would let them mount them. It was this that gave Aegon the Conqueror the Seven Kingdoms, and it was this that nearly ended the dragons entirely during the Dance. Without wasting much more time, I moved to the end of Aerax's neck, where my legs could rest over his shoulders. I climbed atop Aerax, and he rose from his low position to one more natural to him. The Kingsguard who were accompanying me looked on in awe, as any sane man would. I yelled for them to open the giant doors to the Dragonpit, and as soon as the outside world was in Aerax's sight, the great beast took flight.
As the Royal Fleet sailed far below, along the shores of Westeros down the Narrow Sea, Aerax carried me high above. The world was so different from the skies. Massive keeps looked small, and men looked like ants. Everything was quiet and a sense of utter separation from the rest of the world was immediately apparent. It seemed like a task for Aerax to keep pace with the Royal Fleet far below- not because they were so fast, but because they were almost too slow for him. Never in my life did I imagine I could cover such great distances in such short time periods. I had always heard tales of the greatness of the early Targaryen kings, and the dragonriders of Valyria long ago, but to be atop such a grand beast, soaring through the clouds, made such tales feel very, very real. Only the gods themselves could imagine something more grand.
Within a few days, the Royal Fleet approached the Stepstones, and began to splinter off into smaller detachments of ships. There were many islands to deal with, and so my forces were appropriately split to hand each one of them individually. I took eight hundred men and landed at Dark Den- the seat of the Pirate King- and began to lay siege. Darkden was not a large keep, but a few hundred men could defend it easily enough for a prolonged period of time. However, as Harren the Black learned centuries ago, not even the grandest of castles can keep out a dragon. When the surrender of the defenders proved out of the question, I took to the skies with Aerax. Within seconds, the high walls of the keep proved smaller and smaller, and when we reached our peak, we began our descent back down to the Earth.
I took a few swoops down with Aerax, and each time, he unleashed his inferno upon the walls of the castle. Before long, the garrison there was utterly destroyed, and the walls of the keep were scorched black from the fires. In some places, even the stones began to distort themselves under the immense heat. Balerion the Black Dread could once melt entire castles with his breath, but Aerax did not have such might within him. Not yet, at least. When the walls and it's defenders were dealt with, I made my approach to the keep itself. Aerax and I hovered above, the shadow of Aerax loomed over the front face of the keep. Before long, a white flag was raised, and the Pirate King himself emerged from its entrance. Kneeling in the dirt before his ruined castle, I sent Aerax down to earth with a thud, the gusts creates by his wings enough to throw the crown from the Pirate King's head as the beast landed. Fitting, I thought.
Yurkhaz surrendered to me, and word was quickly dispatched to the other forces throughout the Stepstones that conflict was to cease immediately. I could have killed the Pirate King then and there for what he did, but I had other intentions. I was not a cruel man, after all. I allowed the king to keep his false crown under two conditions. Slavery was to be abolished from his lands, and the Dornishmen taken in their raids were to be set free. The second was that the King's only son, Grazdan, would be taken back to King's Landing to serve as my hostage, until I deemed otherwise. That way, I could ensure these pirates would stay true to their word, and that my lands would no longer be accosted by their raiders. With the Pirate King's agreement to the terms, I departed on the back of Aerax. My men returned to their ships, and before long, returned to the capital, triumphant.
The years following the birth of Aerax were mostly uneventful. With the birth of the dragon, I commissioned the renovation of the Dragonpit atop Rhaenys' Hill, and within a year, the construction was finished. For the first year, Aerax was still very small, and the dragon didn't require much space to operate in, particularly because it wasn't flying as of yet. However, by the time it was one, Aerax was growing at a much greater rate, and began to take flight. It was good then, that the Dragonpit was finally finished, because the dragon would need much more space over the coming years. With its enormous domed roof and high walls, the Dragonpit was a fitting home for Aerax, and the beast would be more than satisfied within it.
As the months wore on, Aerax grew larger and larger, and by the time the beast was three, he was already far larger than a horse. Sometimes, late at night, I could look across to Rhaenys' Hill and see Aerax's fire shining in the night sky, through the roof of the Dragonpit. Not only was he growing larger with each passing day, but stronger too. His flames burned hotter and brighter, and his roars louder. Most of the city's populace were barred from going anywhere near the top of the hill, just out of a matter of safety and principle. It was only natural that such a beast would unnerve the common folk. The herders from the surrounding countryside no doubt prospered too, as Aerax required more and more food as he grew larger, and so the coffers of the livestock merchants were never lacking in gold.
As expected, the realm proceeded with its own goings on, outside of the business of the dragon, and as such, there were other kingly matter that needed attending to. In the early months of 352, two of the Shield Isles revolted against the rule of Lady Delena Tyrell. Backed by some allies in the Westerlands, the rebels mustered nearly ten thousand men against the Tyrells- a strong force, but not near enough men to take on the full force of the Reach. Regardless, the rebels gathered on Greenshield, and began a defense of their lands, and some minor assaults on the mainland. However, reports reached the capital that a force of thirty thousand Reachmen were marching up to the mouth of the Mander, awaiting the Redwyne fleet from the Arbor. With their much larger forces and superior fleet, it was expected that the Tyrells would end the rebellion in a matter of months, if not weeks.
Months later, after word from Lady Delena that the revolt on the Shield Isles had been dealt with, word also arrived from the Martells in Sunspear. The lands of House Santagar of Spottswood had been accosted by small bands of pirates for many months now, but they were largely minor, and were scared off at the first sight of Dornish soldiers. However, this time was different. Pirate King Yurkhaz had united the Stepstones, and had sent over four thousand raiders to Dorne. The raiders plundered many villages, and took many slaves, before arriving at Spottswood itself. There, they sat outside its walls, awaiting either the surrender of the Santagars, or the perfect time to strike. The Martells were mustering a force of their own at Sunspear, to repel the invaders, but Prince Trystane, my Hand, made a personal plea that I intervene, to make sure these pirates were dealt with appropriately.
I gave the word for five thousand men to be mustered near the capital at once, and for the Royal Fleet to be prepared. While the Martells could no doubt deal with the invading force, I would take my men to accost the Stepstones personally, to ensure this nuisance was brought to a swift end. Before departing, I went to visit Aerax, as I often did. The beast was calm in my presence, more so than normal, and he seemed to even heed- perhaps understand- my words. I was stroking his neck, when he suddenly bowed low. Taken aback, I stood in silence for a moment. Aerax remained fixed in position, his head and neck low to the ground.
Unsure of what the beast meant at first, it then dawned on me. Centuries ago, the Targaryens were so close to their dragons, the beasts would let them mount them. It was this that gave Aegon the Conqueror the Seven Kingdoms, and it was this that nearly ended the dragons entirely during the Dance. Without wasting much more time, I moved to the end of Aerax's neck, where my legs could rest over his shoulders. I climbed atop Aerax, and he rose from his low position to one more natural to him. The Kingsguard who were accompanying me looked on in awe, as any sane man would. I yelled for them to open the giant doors to the Dragonpit, and as soon as the outside world was in Aerax's sight, the great beast took flight.
As the Royal Fleet sailed far below, along the shores of Westeros down the Narrow Sea, Aerax carried me high above. The world was so different from the skies. Massive keeps looked small, and men looked like ants. Everything was quiet and a sense of utter separation from the rest of the world was immediately apparent. It seemed like a task for Aerax to keep pace with the Royal Fleet far below- not because they were so fast, but because they were almost too slow for him. Never in my life did I imagine I could cover such great distances in such short time periods. I had always heard tales of the greatness of the early Targaryen kings, and the dragonriders of Valyria long ago, but to be atop such a grand beast, soaring through the clouds, made such tales feel very, very real. Only the gods themselves could imagine something more grand.
Within a few days, the Royal Fleet approached the Stepstones, and began to splinter off into smaller detachments of ships. There were many islands to deal with, and so my forces were appropriately split to hand each one of them individually. I took eight hundred men and landed at Dark Den- the seat of the Pirate King- and began to lay siege. Darkden was not a large keep, but a few hundred men could defend it easily enough for a prolonged period of time. However, as Harren the Black learned centuries ago, not even the grandest of castles can keep out a dragon. When the surrender of the defenders proved out of the question, I took to the skies with Aerax. Within seconds, the high walls of the keep proved smaller and smaller, and when we reached our peak, we began our descent back down to the Earth.
I took a few swoops down with Aerax, and each time, he unleashed his inferno upon the walls of the castle. Before long, the garrison there was utterly destroyed, and the walls of the keep were scorched black from the fires. In some places, even the stones began to distort themselves under the immense heat. Balerion the Black Dread could once melt entire castles with his breath, but Aerax did not have such might within him. Not yet, at least. When the walls and it's defenders were dealt with, I made my approach to the keep itself. Aerax and I hovered above, the shadow of Aerax loomed over the front face of the keep. Before long, a white flag was raised, and the Pirate King himself emerged from its entrance. Kneeling in the dirt before his ruined castle, I sent Aerax down to earth with a thud, the gusts creates by his wings enough to throw the crown from the Pirate King's head as the beast landed. Fitting, I thought.
Yurkhaz surrendered to me, and word was quickly dispatched to the other forces throughout the Stepstones that conflict was to cease immediately. I could have killed the Pirate King then and there for what he did, but I had other intentions. I was not a cruel man, after all. I allowed the king to keep his false crown under two conditions. Slavery was to be abolished from his lands, and the Dornishmen taken in their raids were to be set free. The second was that the King's only son, Grazdan, would be taken back to King's Landing to serve as my hostage, until I deemed otherwise. That way, I could ensure these pirates would stay true to their word, and that my lands would no longer be accosted by their raiders. With the Pirate King's agreement to the terms, I departed on the back of Aerax. My men returned to their ships, and before long, returned to the capital, triumphant.
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