Chapter 4:"Dragon Tear"

Just an hour later, I slowly regained consciousness, but my body felt incredibly heavy, making it a struggle to move my arms. I could hear the elders scolding my mother, and her silent sobs confirmed her distress. At that moment, I recalled how different my mother had appeared at the altar. It was truly unbelievable, something I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. However, I decided not to dwell on it further. The standards of my previous life no longer applied in this brutal world filled with all kinds of violence.

I overheard one of the elders speculating that I might not survive, given that a child my age couldn't possibly possess the kind of power I had just displayed – a power akin to a dragon's breath, even if it meant sacrificing a hundred lives. It was true; I had drawn upon my own life force to unleash that incredible might. Perhaps I had been a bit arrogant, considering I now inhabited the body of a mere five-year-old. But what left them truly astonished was that I hadn't withered away after using my life force.

They couldn't have known that I was quasi-immortal, incapable of dying from using a small portion of my life force. Blaming them wasn't fair; they had no way of knowing my unique nature.

I managed to murmur "Mama," and it caught the attention of the servants. They quickly informed my mother that I was awake. She rushed to my side, tears streaming down her face, and hugged me tightly. She asked, "Why did you do that? Why did you make your mother weak?" I could only remember my mother crying like this when my father had decided to harm me. I hugged her back and simply said, "Sorry, Mama."

We continued to hold each other, both of us sobbing. She whispered, "No, it's just that your mama is bad for letting you see something a child your age shouldn't have." I didn't say anything in response because it was true. She had exposed me to something no child should witness, but I wasn't a child on the inside.

For the next hour, I spent time with my mother while the elders checked on my condition. However, beyond the castle walls, there were differing opinions brewing. To the other dragon lords, my survival meant a challenge to the current balance of power within the Valyria Freehold. It signaled the resurgence of Narnareon's strength. Some were already plotting to eliminate me once and for all, while others saw an opportunity to gain favor with me in hopes of benefiting from my newfound influence.

Yet, most were hesitant to act, knowing that challenging Narnareon's strength was not something they could do lightly, especially after the last war with the Old Ghiscari.

After the Magic Ceremony, many of them came bearing gifts as a gesture of goodwill, wishing me a swift recovery and good health. However, one gift stood out the most – it was from the former ruling family, the Laennalys, renowned for their unmatched blacksmithing skills and the might of their dragons. They were the ones who actually invented Valyrian Steel. While my own family had skilled blacksmiths for crafting Valyrian steel, they still couldn't quite match the Laennalys' expertise.

In the past, when the former head of the Laennalys family was nearing the end of his long life, our families made a special exchange. We provided them with an elixir known as Dragon Tear, which could extend the life of Valyrian steel by almost two centuries, in exchange for their method of crafting Valyrian steel. This elixir was something unique to House Narnareon, an essence extracted from the blood of elder dragons. In the end we made the profit, since we only have monopoly over elixir and do know how to craft Valyrian steel.

Because the Laennalys family was famed for their exceptional Valyrian steel, they presented me with a special sword crafted from it. The current head of House Laennalys, Jaehaerion Laennalys, personally came to deliver this token of goodwill, demonstrating their respect and friendship.

But their display of wealth was no less. Jaehaerion Laennalys arrived with his family's dragon knights, each adorned in exquisite armor and wielding swords that would make any dragon lord envious. Jaehaerion himself was not just the head of the family; he was a skilled blacksmith too. As he approached, two of his dragon knights carried a long, ornate box with golden decorations.

I couldn't help but be curious about what was inside the box as my father exchanged pleasantries with him. When he opened it, I laid my eyes on a sword like no other I had seen before, one that could rival my father's long sword. This sword was adorned with golden accents and had a sleek black handle. Its pommel was shaped like a dragon's head.

As Jaehaerion held the sword in one hand, faint glowing runes began to appear on the blade. To demonstrate its power, he swung the sword, and it conjured a blade of flames while continuing to glow with an inner fire. My father couldn't help but praise him, saying, "Lord Jaehaerion, you are every bit as skilled as your predecessor." Jaehaerion merely smiled in response.

When he set the sword down, the flames vanished from the blade. As Jaehaerion approached me to bid farewell, I could feel his gaze assessing me, much like he had assessed the worth of the sword. Before he left, he proposed a marriage between the Laennalys and Narnareon families, suggesting a union between me and his young daughter. My father asked for some time to consider the proposal, and Jaehaerion agreed before taking his leave.

After all I was born after a long and anxious wait, a child that my parents had yearned for after a mistake they made in the past. You see, the Dragon Tear, while powerful, came with a price. It took away the ability to have children close to zero. In the past, this downside was kept a secret to attract more customers, as it was a rare elixir only for Valyrians. To hold onto their youthfulness, both my parents consumed the elixir by stealing, not knowing the cost it would bring.

By the time they realized their mistake, it was too late. They remained childless for over 50 years, to the point where my father even considered making his cousin's child the heir. Finally, I came into their lives, and everything related to me became a matter of utmost seriousness. After all, they may be wouldn't have another child, and I was the only hope they had after such a long and arduous wait.