chapter 46

The return of Cannibal to the castle of Dragonstone was a sight to see. His colossal form, a behemoth that seemed to stretch across the sky, casted a shadow that covered the ancient castle in its entirety. Towers and battlements vanished beneath his immense wingspan, and the very ground trembled beneath his weight as the huge dragon descended.

....

Rhaenyra had woken up, to find her husband nowhere to be seen, and no one within the castle had seen him depart. Concern gnawed at her, and she swiftly dispatched a search party to locate him. As the minutes turned into hours, her worry deepened.

Now, the legendary Cannibal had emerged from his cavern, a sight that filled her heart with anxiety. She couldn't help but wonder if, on its journey here, the dragon had encountered William and ate him. The thought gnawed at her, and she regarded the majestic beast with a furrowed brow behind the window of her chamber.

Cannibal landed with a thunderous impact, his landing sending shockwaves through the courtyard. Guards and onlookers stood in a stunned silence; their weapons raised as they struggled to comprehend the enormity of the beast before them.

"Stand down!" Rhaenyra's voice echoed through the courtyard as she emerged from the castle, her regal bearing commanding respect. "Stand down, all of you!"

Reluctantly, the guards lowered their spears and swords, their eyes fixed on the dragon with a mixture of fear and wonder.

And then, as if a mirage in the sweltering heat, a blurry figure became visible on Cannibal's back. Rhaenyra squinted, her heart leaping as recognition dawned.

"William," she whispered in disbelief, her voice barely audible over the rumble of the dragon's presence.

The figure on Cannibal's back, now unmistakably William, grinned with a devilish smirk. With an ease that defied reason.

Cannibal, then lowered his head, allowing William to dismount. Which lead to William, maneuvering himself down from the dragon's massive form, landing gracefully on the courtyard stones.

While the dragons menacing green eyes, stayed on guard.

"Quite the entrance, wouldn't you say, my love?" William's voice held a note of amusement as he approached Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra's eyes were alight with a mixture of astonishment and wariness, as she embraced him tightly. "How can a Baratheon tame a dragon" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

William smiled and began to explain, "You see, "Aegon the First, the founder of House Targaryen, had a half-brother named Orys Baratheon," William continued. "Orys was a formidable warrior and loyal to Aegon. After Aegon's Conquest, he married into House Targaryen, and their bloodline became intertwined."

Rhaenyra's eyes widened as she began to grasp the significance of what William was saying. "So, you have Targaryen blood in you?"

William nodded. "Yes, my love. It's a distant connection, but it's still there."

Rhaenyra smiled, as she said: "It seems the dragon lords of old had a hand in bringing us together."

William held her gaze, and then replied: "Indeed, my dragon queen. Our destiny is entwined with that of dragons, and together, there's nothing we can't achieve."