Chapter 145: The Vanguard of the Triarchy

After leaving the theater, Rhaegar wandered aimlessly through the streets, taking in the sights of Hull Town.

Living on an island where land is scarce, most people earn their living through handicrafts.

Stalls lined both sides of the street, bustling with activity.

In addition to the local crafts, there were many other profitable businesses: gambling houses, brothels, and fighting rings.

Rhaegar, dressed in a black suit with his silver hair and handsome face, stood out in the crowd.

Many of the women on the street approached him, offering to show him a good time.

Despite his stoic expression, Rhaegar, being young and somewhat naive, felt a flicker of excitement at the prospect.

As he hesitated, his expression still blank, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

Raising an eyebrow in interest, he brushed past the insistent women and made his way to the mouth of an alley at the end of the street.

"Hey, you're so wet and so beautiful," Aegon said naked to a big, fat woman as he worked out vigorously, sweating like rain.

"Aegon..." Rhaegar's eyes widened, unaware that the boy had begun whoring so early in his life.

Like a good brother, Rhaegar did not understand Aegon's excitement about having sex in the street, but he chose to tolerate it.

Aegon's genitals were visible, and Rhaegar's eyes held a playful, contemptuous expression.

But when he took a closer look at the woman in Aegon's arms, his face hardened and his mouth opened wide.

"What is it, handsome?" the woman asked.

The lady who had invited him followed, looked at the sex in the alley, and said amusedly: "That's my mother. Do you prefer mature women?"

"No, no, no, I like the young and beautiful ones."

Rhaegar, slightly disturbed and deeply shaken by Aegon's taste, left the scene in a hurry.

He swore that the old woman had the same effect on him as the Shadowbinder he had fought as a child.

"The Seven Hells! How did Alicent teach her son?"

Ignoring the tempting invitations, Rhaegar left in a hurry.

He had no intention of prolonging his stay for even a minute.

...

It was noon. The sunlight on the island was blindingly bright, so intense that people could barely keep their eyes open.

Running out of the bustling street, Rhaegar learned from passers-by that he had entered the largest dark alley in town.

After understanding Aegon's outlook on life, Rhaegar felt a calmness wash over him, allowing reason to triumph over desire.

He continued to wander through the town until he reached the harbor of Hull.

The harbor was teeming with ships, and workers were busy loading and unloading goods under the scorching sun.

Just as he was looking for a shady place to rest, a commotion erupted in the harbor.

"Come quickly, there's a lifeboat drifting over..."

"There are dead people on board, covered in blood..."

The harbor buzzed with shouts as sturdy sailors jumped into the sea to guide the lifeboat back and bring the bodies ashore.

Rhaegar turned his gaze to the scene.

One of the deceased was richly dressed, with an arrow lodged in his heart.

Soon, soldiers rushed in, carrying away the dead and restoring order.

"Looks like something happened," Rhaegar murmured as he silently returned to High Tide.

The routes of the Narrow Sea, the Stepstones, and other nearby waters were generally considered safe.

Judging by the condition of the boat, it appeared to have been attacked, likely by the pirates of the Triarchy.

On his way back, Rhaegar encountered a tense Rhaenys, accompanied by a group of guards.

"I just received news that a group of pirates appeared in the waters of the Stepstones and intercepted a Volantis fleet," Rhaenys said solemnly.

"I saw the boat that failed to escape in the harbor," Rhaegar recounted.

"Corlys has tried to keep the news quiet to avoid panic among the guests. We need to get back quickly."

Rhaenys, known for her fiery temper, understood all too well the threat the pirates posed.

...

High Tide Castle

The guests were still enjoying the banquet, blissfully unaware of the brewing trouble. Rhaenys led Rhaegar through a dark passage into the Driftwood Throne Hall, where the Sea Snake awaited them.

Seeing his wife and Rhaegar, the Sea Snake quickly rose from his driftwood throne. "The scouts have returned," he said in a grave tone. "It's the pirates of the Triarchy. This attack appears to be a pre-war test."

"Should we gather the fleet?" Rhaenys asked directly.

"No, too much commotion will alarm the guests," the Sea Snake replied. "The raiding pirates are operating in small groups, and the fleet wouldn't be able to catch them."

The Sea Snake's face was serious as he analyzed the situation. "The pirates of the Triarchy always retreat after a skirmish. If we dispatch the fleet now, they'll be long gone before we arrive."

"After looting a fleet, they'll need to transport their plunder, which takes time and effort," Rhaenys said thoughtfully, then smiled. "If the fleet can't catch them, the dragons certainly can!"

The Sea Snake frowned, uneasy. "The pirates know our strength. Their ships are equipped with scorpion crossbows."

In the last battle of the Stepstones, the scorpion crossbows had posed a significant threat, forcing Caraxes and Sea Smoke to avoid direct confrontation during sea battles.

"It doesn't matter," Rhaenys said confidently. "At most, only a few pirate ships will have scorpion crossbows. Meleys is the fastest dragon; they won't be able to hit her."

The Sea Snake hesitated. His wife was right. Meleys was incredibly fast and could reach the Stepstones in an hour. But he worried about her safety. His eldest son Laenor was occupied with the guests, and he couldn't bear to send Rhaenys alone into danger.

His hesitation was interrupted. "Lord Corlys, I can go with Aunt Rhaenys," Rhaegar volunteered.

The Sea Snake frowned. "Prince, the pirates of the Triarchy are not mere poachers. It's too risky."

He knew that Rhaegar was the king's eldest son and the kingdom's heir. Allowing him to face such danger could make him a traitor to House Velaryon if anything happened to Rhaegar.

"You don't have to worry," Rhaegar said confidently. "You've seen the Cannibal's strength. A few pirates are no match."

Rhaegar was eager to gauge the strength of the Three Daughters' pirates himself. He'd heard a lot about their prowess and wanted to see it firsthand.

The Sea Snake's face was grim as he glanced at his wife, his eyes questioning. He would have preferred to let the pirates go rather than send Rhaenys and Rhaegar into peril. "Are you ready to face blood and fire?"

"A bunch of pirates? I don't care," Rhaegar said with a light laugh. The dragon he rode was a predator, a true beast of battle. The pirates posed little threat unless, like Queen Rhaenys during the Conquest, he was unlucky enough to be struck by a scorpion bolt.

(Word count: 1,160)