Chapter 513: Baela’s Inheritance

The inscriptions became clearer as the blade cut through them. The magic of fire was infused into the stone, connecting the inscriptions like a thin thread.

Rhaegar's expression was tense, a drop of sweat appearing on his forehead. After a few seconds, he was completely absorbed in his work, cutting the final stroke to complete the sequence of the inscriptions.

Pop!

Suddenly, the fire magic went haywire, and a burst of fireworks exploded. The stone instantly shattered, turning into a pile of dust.

"Huh! It still didn't work," Rhaegar sighed, his face tensing slightly. He let out a long breath. Despite years of imitating spatial inscriptions, he had yet to successfully create them.

"Without the knowledge of the past, it is difficult to replicate the Dragonlord's great work," Rhaegar muttered to himself. If this didn't work, he would find a smith and learn more skills.

As he pondered, a pair of white, delicate arms wrapped around his neck from behind, pressing lightly and softly on his back. Feeling the touch of skin like condensed milk, Rhaegar grabbed the mischievous little hand on his chest. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"You failed again," Helaena's voice was hoarse as she rested her chin on Rhaegar's shoulder, rubbing it gently and intimately.

"Yes, I'm used to it," Rhaegar replied, holding her hands and leaning his head back.

Through the glass window in front of him, the bedroom scene was clearly visible. Helaena's long hair was loose, and she wore a nightgown. Her slender body lay on top of him, her hair falling over her temples, her eyes slightly tired. She yawned gently, her face looking languid and serene.

Rhaegar admired her beauty, feeling his mood calm. Cannibal and Dreamfyre were excellent long-distance flyers, and the siblings had arrived in Myr after midnight. Free from the constraints of King's Landing, they had indulged in pleasure together.

Rhaegar had not slept a wink, getting up early to write letters. Helaena hadn't gone to bed until dawn, so it was still less than two hours later.

Rhaegar closed his eyes slightly, savoring the warmth of the night. A quiet, little beauty can always soothe the heart of a restless man, giving him time to replenish his energy.

"Is it the material?" Helaena tilted her head, trying to help her brother. "Would it be better if it were made of Valyrian steel?"

Rhaegar chuckled, "It's not the material."

"But your carving skills are already better than the best craftsmen in Westeros," Helaena frowned slightly, picking up a handful of stone shavings. "The Space Bracelet and Necklace are both made of Valyrian steel."

Her eyes glanced at a bamboo basket under the table, filled with similar bits of stone. This was not the first failure, and it was certainly not the closest to success.

Rhaegar patiently explained, "Valyrian steel is hard to find, and the problem lies with the control of fire magic."

A mature inscription sequence is like a unique pearl. Comparing the magic of fire to a thread, all the pearls are strung together. For half a year, Rhaegar had been stuck at this step. After much reflection, he realized that the problem was the restlessness and instability of the fire magic. Even if twisted into a thread, it could not be used to connect each inscription.

Helaena looked at her brother with a puzzled expression, noticing the fine sweat on his forehead. She suddenly realized, "Not enough spirit?"

"Yes!" Rhaegar nodded slightly, showing a look of satisfaction that his sister was teachable.

Helaena's expression darkened, and she muttered, "Then it's probably a problem with the material. Maybe I can find you a piece of Valyrian steel."

Spirit was a rare word. In Westeros, knights trained their bodies and built their strength. The Dragonlord family chronicles mentioned the existence of bloodmages and pyromancers.

Especially after Rhaegar's succession and the unification of the Binding Spell, the royal family learned to mobilize the fire magic in their blood. However, the manifestation of the spirit only existed in their weak-minded father, Viserys. For many years, Viserys' mental state was very poor. At best, he was weak, and at worst, he slept for days at a time.

Now that her brother had mentioned Spirit, Helaena felt powerless to help, even if she wanted to. Rhaegar saw her distress and gave her a gentle nudge with his head, laughing. "Don't worry, I'll succeed sooner or later."

Helaena pursed her lips and silently stared at the stone sculptures on the round table. The Smoking Sea, The Lands of the Long Summer, the Dragon... She knew that her brother was always thinking about returning to the Freedhold land to find the relics from his dreams.

The brother and sister kept quiet, leaning on each other.

After a while, Helaena noticed a few letters on the desk and suddenly said, "Aemond."

"What's wrong?" Rhaegar asked curiously.

"Nothing, just a little observation." Helaena tilted her head, not hiding anything. "Aemond has been very moody lately, and I'm a little worried about Cassandra."

Aemond was already an adult, and the marriage contract had not been fulfilled for a long time. She was concerned for her brother, as she had heard some troubling rumors.

Rhaegar frowned. It was an issue that needed careful thought. Aemond's sexual proclivities were influenced by Aegon and Alicent. One had deliberately done him a disservice by choosing a brothel for Aemond to lose his virginity. The other often ignored the second son, causing Aemond to prefer the company of older women.

Helaena knew the truth and said in a low voice, "He is very anxious. If he continues like this, he will wear himself out."

Rhaegar thought for a moment and said seriously, "Don't worry. I'll go to Storm's End when I have time and talk to both sides." If Aemond really dared to fall ill, he would "reason" with him and persuade him.

Helaena nodded in agreement and then got down to business. "Shall I ride Dreamfyre back to Summerhall?"

Rhaegar paused for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Not yet. We can't spare any troops from Oldtown, so a raven will be enough to send a message to House Redwyne."

Helaena let out a "huh" and continued to rest her cheek against Rhaegar's.

After conquering Dorne, the garrison continued to increase. Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond, the three siblings, were the backbone of the border defense. Summerhall was built in the Dornish Marches, and the nobles of The Reach were mobilized. Stonehelm governed the Sea of Dorne and oversaw the Stormlands and all of Dorne. The Stepstones blocked the lower half of the Narrow Sea, cutting off the Narrow Sea from the Summer Sea.

In this way, half of the continent of Westeros was under the remote control of the Iron Throne. The diehard faction in Dorne could not break through the sea route and was waiting to die like a frog in a pot of warm water. In time, the royal family's influence would replace that of the nobility, and the power of the Iron Throne would continue to grow.

...

Driftmark

The Sea Snake stood alone in the front courtyard, leaning on a walking stick. His broad back was slightly stooped, and with the dead leaves on the ground beneath his feet, he looked a little forlorn.

He looked up and out. Three headless bodies hung from the castle tower, gently swaying in the salty sea breeze. He lowered his head and looked down. Two skeletons, still with flesh and blood, were nailed to two gallows.

The Sea Snake's eyes were complex, a mixture of hatred, satisfaction, and a deep sense of worry. Since His Grace ascended the throne, his methods had become increasingly cruel. Especially in recent years, his actions had been directed against the great nobles of the realm. Although it hadn't been House Velaryon's turn yet, they must remain on guard. This severe punishment might well be a warning to him.

"Alas!" The Sea Snake sighed deeply, reflecting on to handle the heir situation and growing uncertain of right and wrong. Loyalty to such an inconsiderate ruler had already caused him unease.

"What are you thinking?" Rhaenys asked, coming from behind.

Without turning his head, the Sea Snake replied with a huff, "I was thinking about whether it was a good idea to encourage Rhaegar to replace Rhaenyra."

Under the new king, the Targaryens were becoming more prosperous—more so than during the reign of Viserys I, even more than during the Conqueror's time, and almost like during the time of the Freehold.

However, the Targaryens' prosperity did not help Velaryon achieve a class leap. Despite Lys's membership in the council and the port taxes of the three Free Cities, Velaryon lost a direct dragon rider, and his daughter Laena's marriage was unhappy.

He and Rhaenys were aging, and one day they would pass away. By then, House Velaryon's decline would be inevitable.

Rhaenys, with her arms folded, looked at the few broken corpses and smiled. "Corlys, at least Rhaegar respects you and hasn't specifically targeted House Velaryon."

She understood her husband's dissatisfaction. The tragic death of his nephew had only strengthened his resolve to protect the family. But first, there was one thing to remember. Murdering a member of the royal family is a capital crime.

The Sea Snake understood this. And precisely because he understood, he was all the more saddened. The power of the royal family completely overshadowed House Velaryon's influence.

"I only hope that my good nephew will show mercy and not take the lives of those who have served him well," he said with a sigh.

"Corlys, you are my husband." Rhaenys was firm and outspoken. "No one would dare to harm the Lord of the Tides. Neither Meleys nor I would allow it."

"Rhaenys..." Upon hearing this, the Sea Snake's unease was completely dispelled, and he rarely showed a tender gesture.

There were two things in his life that he was proud of. The first was the nine voyages that brought House Velaryon to unprecedented prosperity. The second was the honor of marrying a virtuous wife.

Rhaenys sighed, raising her hand to her forehead. "That's enough. The Corlys I know is not so childish."

"What's on your mind?" the Sea Snake asked, noticing her troubled expression.

"Laena wrote back to me. She's sorry she couldn't come to Rhaena's defense," Rhaenys explained.

"That's only natural. The children are all grown up," the Sea Snake nodded in agreement.

Rhaenys raised her eyebrows and dropped a bombshell, "White Worm is pregnant, and it's probably a boy."

The Sea Snake's face suddenly turned pale. White Worm's pregnancy would have far-reaching consequences. It could mean that Daemon would have to marry more women, shaking Laena's position. If White Worm gave birth to an heir, would there still be a place for House Velaryon in Tyrosh?

Moreover, the issue of multiple marriages and inheritance had been a major source of discord in the royal family in recent years.

The Sea Snake realized the gravity of the situation and said perceptively, "The eldest Princess in the Vale has never had a surname. I've heard that His Grace often can't sleep at night because of this."

"Are you saying that Rhaegar will also be involved in this matter?" Rhaenys was quick-witted and understood immediately.

The Sea Snake nodded slowly. "No matter what White Worm says, we must first stabilize Laena and not act rashly."

Daemon's permission to marry multiple times had been granted by Viserys. It was difficult not to see that the marriage between Daemon and Laena was not harmonious, and that the royal family might have orchestrated it. Lady Jeyne of the Vale, who married into the royal family, had once been tricked by Rhaenyra. White Worm's pregnancy would certainly become a second flashpoint for dispute.

It was not only a marital issue between Daemon and Laena, but also a challenge to the rules. With Volantis and Slaver's Bay eyeing each other, war was imminent. With his keen political sense and understanding of Rhaegar's rule since he came to power, the Sea Snake knew Rhaegar would surely use the war to exact his revenge.

Laena and House Velaryon might step into a trap Rhaegar had set for them if they acted without thinking it through. They must first consider the pros and cons, what is important and what is not.

Rhaenys said solemnly, "What are you going to do? Tyrosh has a share of Laena, and we can't just sit back and do nothing."

"No hurry, let me think about it." The Sea Snake felt a headache coming on. "First, send a raven to the Red Keep to win Rhaenyra's support."

Rhaenyra and Laena were close friends, and Rhaenyra was the adoptive mother of Baela, their granddaughter. With her help, Baela could at least fight for her position as heir.

"Just sending a letter to the Red Keep?" Rhaenys thought that was not enough.

The Sea Snake pondered for a moment. "There's also the Celtigars of Claw Isle, Baratheons of Storm's End. Daemon wants a son, but he must be born in Laena's womb. Only then could the next ruler of Tyrosh be of Velaryon blood. We need to unite the various families and prepare to pressure Daemon."

"Fine, I'll write a personal letter to Cassandra." Rhaenys agreed immediately, but then thought of House Celtigar and said in a low voice, "That child Celine..."

Celine Celtigar, Laenor's new wife. After Laenor was killed, she did not return to Claw Isle but stayed alone in High Tide.

The Sea Snake felt sorry for her. "Celine is a good girl. Our son owed her a debt," he said. "Ask her if she has any letters she wants to write to her family."

Rhaenys sighed, "I'll ask, but I don't think there's any hope." Celine hated her family for forcing her to marry a man with a different sexual orientation. After Laenor's death, she had almost cut off all contact with House Celtigar.

"Take good care of her. It's a way of making up for what happened to Laenor," the Sea Snake said, shaking his head and turning away.

He was going to Hull to check on the progress of the Sea Snake's repairs and to visit an old friend. The assassination attempt of Rhaena had given him a different perspective on the issue of succession. That young man, Addam, could be promoted.

(Word Count: 2,411)