"Father, you flatter me. It's my duty to serve the family."
Aegon shifted his tone and responded to Aenar's praise with a calm smile.
Aenar nodded in approval, then began explaining the Champion Dragon Battle in detail. "The Champion Dragon Battle is held every year. We Valyrians have always honored martial strength—dueling is in our blood. Years of conquest brought countless slaves and prisoners into the Freehold. In the beginning, the duels were fought between them. But as time went on, even dragonriders joined in, and the event gradually evolved into the Champion Dragon Battle we know today."
"The winner earns the respect of the entire Freehold and gains unparalleled glory."
As Aenar spoke, Aegon listened quietly. In his mind's eye, he could almost see a once-peaceful people, shepherds by trade, who after mounting dragons became fierce, bloodthirsty warriors.
"Nearly every champion rides a King-tier Dragon. So your battle this time will be extremely dangerous. The next Champion Battle will be held in six months. With your dragon sigil, you're automatically qualified for the finals," Aenar continued.
Aegon gave a slight smile. "Dragonlord versus Dragonlord—Tiamat might actually enjoy the challenge."
Daenys, watching from the side, grew anxious at his nonchalant tone.
"You mustn't take this lightly. I... I just..." She trailed off with a sigh.
Aenar and Aegon exchanged a glance and couldn't help but smile at her flustered demeanor.
"Hmm? Why aren't your dragons flying with the fleet?" Aenar asked curiously, glancing behind the ships. From where he stood, he could see Dreamshade still feeding Tiamat at the rear.
"My dragon swallowed a—" Aegon had just started to explain when Daenys stepped in, wrapping her arms around his and laughing as she cut in.
"His dragon used to be called the 'Mother of Evil Dragons.' She just loves eating dragon meat."
Aenar chuckled softly and nodded. He had already witnessed how brutal that red Dragonlord could be—one more violent habit didn't come as a surprise.
Aegon let the explanation go, leaving it to Daenys.
"Father, Aegon and I will wait here while Tiamat finishes eating. You and Balerion should go on ahead," Daenys said.
Aenar nodded. He had a feeling they were keeping something from him, but he was certain it wasn't anything harmful—to him or to House Targaryen.
...
Aegon summoned Tiamat, and he and Daenys climbed onto her back, waving farewell to Aenar.
High above, on dragonback.
Aegon gently cupped Daenys' face and kissed her deeply. It was a long kiss, and when they finally pulled apart, she was slightly breathless, smiling softly.
"My father is the kind of man who would sacrifice anything for the sake of the family," she said. "If he found out Tiamat's secret, I'm really afraid it might cause... unnecessary conflict between the two of you."
"Thank you for thinking of me," Aegon replied, his eyes full of warmth as he leaned in to kiss her again. But just as things were starting to intensify, Daenys placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him back.
"I don't want to do this on a dragon's back... Besides, our wedding is coming soon. I want to wait and give you everything—completely—on that sacred day," she said, blushing furiously.
Aegon nodded with a smile, understanding.
At that moment, Dreamshade was still feeding Tiamat. But Tiamat couldn't finish off three full-grown dragons in one sitting. After lingering over the sea for a while, she finally had her fill.
The two dragons then each grabbed a large chunk of remaining dragon meat in their claws and flew toward the coastline.
During the flight, they spotted a small, uninhabited island.
The dragon meat was too heavy to carry far, so they slowly descended upon the island and landed. Tiamat and Dreamshade set the meat down, then curled up their massive bodies to rest.
Tiamat was stuffed from overeating, and Dreamshade was completely exhausted from ferrying so much meat.
Aegon and Daenys, now well-practiced in wilderness survival, quickly cut some brush and built a simple shelter. Aegon then waded into the nearby shallows and caught a few fat lobsters. Using dragonfire, he eagerly grilled them over open flame, preparing a seaside feast.
Since Tiamat was still digesting and unable to move, they weren't in a rush to return to Targaryen Hill. So they decided to spend the night on the island.
As night quietly fell, Aegon and Daenys nestled together and gradually drifted off to sleep.
Before long, Daenys' spiritual presence stirred in the ether, drawing Aegon's consciousness along with it. He eagerly followed the pull—slipping into her dream.
This time, the dreamscape unfolded as a vast, mist-covered hot spring. Steam curled lazily into the air, and in the haze, a figure could be seen holding a ladle, pouring warm water gently over her body as she bathed.
The mist was thick—too thick to make out the figure clearly—but in Daenys' dream, who else could it be?
Aegon smiled knowingly. Without hesitation, he undressed and stepped into the warm spring.
That graceful figure glided toward him like a playful fish. Then, a shower of kisses rained down on his cheeks, neck, and lips.
Aegon closed his eyes in contentment, fully enjoying Daenys' tender affection.
Still, a stray thought flashed through his mind: Too bad dream intimacy doesn't count toward destiny points. I'm nearly out... Once we get back, I'll need to find Daenylis and replenish them.
Back in the real world, a soft rustling sound came from inside the makeshift shelter.
The two dragons resting on the beach perked up at the noise. Their massive eyes turned toward the shelter—then met each other's gaze.
Dreamshade blinked her big, glistening eyes.
The night passed peacefully.
At dawn, sunlight spilled gently over the deserted island as Aegon and Daenys stepped out of their shelter.
Aegon still bore faint marks left behind by Daenys' dream. The two exchanged a quiet smile and, without a word, leapt into the clear blue sea.
After a quick wash, Aegon returned to shore. Glancing to the side, he noticed that Tiamat had completely devoured the rest of the dragon meat during the night.
"She's even developed a habit of midnight snacking now," he remarked with mild surprise.
Daenys walked over to Tiamat, running her hand over the creature's tough scales before turning to Aegon. "She's grown so much again. I wonder how big she can get in the end... Maybe one day she'll swallow the whole world."
Aegon chuckled and shook his head. "Normal dragons can only grow ten times through devouring. Tiamat has already consumed seven dragons. If she wants to keep growing after three more... she'll have to devour a Dragonlord."
"That's still incredible. Tiamat's already close to 200 meters long—that's the standard size for a Dragonlord. Most dragons don't reach that until their old age, but Tiamat's only just entered her prime."
Aegon smiled at Daenys' observation but didn't reply. Tiamat probably won't live long enough to see old age. That S-rank talent of hers is always working against her, eating away at her life. I can feel it—her lifespan is shrinking every day. In truth, she's already nearing the end of her prime.
The two of them caught some seafood nearby and prepared a simple meal.
Since Tiamat still needed time to fully digest her food, they wandered hand in hand along the island's powder-white beach.
"When we get back, how do you plan to explain things to Daenylis?" Daenys asked in a seemingly casual tone.
"We Valyrians have always practiced polygamy—it's common in the family. She'll understand."
Aegon knew she was testing him, trying to gauge how much Daenylis really mattered to him.
Satisfied with his answer, Daenys lit up with a radiant smile. She stepped gracefully in front of him and slowly knelt down.
"Don't move, you wicked man," she murmured.
...
By the afternoon, Tiamat had fully recovered. The two mounted the cursed dragon and began the flight back home.
When they reached the skies above House Targaryen's bay, they saw that the fleet had only just docked. Yet after scanning the port, there was no sign of Aenar.
As they neared the main keep, both Aegon and Daenys sensed something was off.
In the open space before the stronghold, a dozen adult dragons were sprawled out. Balerion, alongside another of House Targaryen's dragons, stood firm, locked in a tense standoff with the outsiders.
From above, Aegon and Daenys exchanged a glance. Daenys shook her head, signaling Aegon not to act recklessly.
They were still within the outskirts of Valyria. Any dragon battle here would violate the laws of the Freehold—and would place them at risk of being hunted by the Dragonlord Council.
Tiamat's massive frame—nearly 200 meters long—cast a shadow over the keep as she appeared in the skies above. The moment she showed herself, all eyes turned upward; she became the center of attention in an instant.
The foreign dragons seemed to feel the overwhelming pressure. They growled uneasily, some turning toward their riders with low, wary cries.
Daenys, atop Dreamshade, was the first to descend, guiding her dragon down in a steady arc. She intended to figure out exactly what was going on.
Tiamat remained in the air above the gathering, circling slowly. To the dragons that had dared to trespass against House Targaryen, she was like the Sword of Damocles—looming above, ready to fall at any moment.