Chapter 17

The tension in the room grew thick as Androw fell silent. Both Androw and Jaehaerays didn't speak for a moment. Then, Jaehaerays signaled to his Kingsguard to leave the hall, leaving Androw and Jaehaerays alone. Androw, however, remained composed.

Jaehaerays calmly asked, "Lord Androw, you still haven't answered my question."

Androw began crafting a story in his mind, narrating it slowly while maintaining his calm demeanor. "One day, Aerea came to my room," he began. Jaehaerays listened attentively.

Androw continued, "She asked me to join her on a visit to Dragonmont. At first, I declined, but her persistence made me agree, knowing she would go with or without me." He paused for a moment before adding, "We managed to enter Dragonmont without anyone noticing. Aerea obeyed my every word, expecting to return to the castle since the entrance was guarded by Dreamfyre."

Androw described how Aerea's courage led her to enter a cave without waiting for him. He rushed to find her and discovered her facing a dragon that seemed ready to attack. He bravely stepped in to protect her, and to his surprise, the dragon spared her and moved away.

Androw's curiosity led him to approach the dragon, and he touched it. "I thought I was going to die," he confessed, "but that didn't happen. Instead, the dragon encouraged me to climb onto its back, and we soared into the sky. This dragon wasn't like any Valyrian dragons I have seen or heard so far. It was something else, far more intelligent."

Jaehaerays was captivated and encouraged Androw to continue. Androw shared his determination to learn the dragon's true origin.

As Androw remained silent, Jaehaerays asked, "And?"

Androw met Jaehaerays's gaze and explained, "I delved into the records on Dragonstone and discovered that, before the Targaryens arrived, there were three wild dragons on the island. One of them, over a thousand years old, was the most fierce and known for killing other dragons. That dangerous dragon was Cannibal which is became my Baal. I realized that Baal wasn't a Valyrian dragon since I, not of Valyrian blood, could befriend it. What I found is..."

Jaehaerays leaned in, intrigued, and asked, "What did you find?"

Androw continued, "There are tales of fiercely intelligent dragons that could live for thousands of years, and, most importantly, they are native to Westeros rather than Valyria or Asshai. If I'm not mistaken, my dragon is one of the last Westerosi dragons, and it chose me."

After a moment of contemplative silence, Jaehaerays finally spoke, "Lord Androw, you may leave." And with a bow, Androw exited the hall.

Androw swiftly made his way back to his room, averse to being under anyone's scrutiny. As he stepped into his chamber, his eyes fell upon a pouch resting on his bed. He approached it cautiously, his guard up, half-expecting some nefarious surprise, akin to what had befallen Daenerys.

With a slow, deliberate motion, Androw gingerly opened the pouch. To his astonishment, it was brimming with glinting gold coins. A surprised grin tugged at Androw's lips as he marveled at the unexpected bounty. He whispered to himself, a glint of pride in his eyes, "My F**king efficient wifey."

Taking great care, Androw settled into his bed, securing the pouch of gold close to his body, ensuring it was tucked away beyond anyone's wildest expectations.