Chapter 21:"How foolish of you to trust a traitor"

Now, at the age of 16, I'm considered an adult by the standards of this world. I'm not just any Valyrian; I'm seen as unique because of my eyes and hair color, with striking handsomeness that sets me apart. The people who once saw me as an irregularity has been replaced by others who now fear me. Over the years, I've become a force to be reckoned with in Valyria. It's not my perfectly proportioned body or my handsome face that has earned me this reputation, but rather the deeds I've accomplished.

In the present day, Valyria is home to only 34 dragon lord families not 40. Through various means, I've been responsible for quite a few remarkable and, some might say, terrible actions. But it's important to understand that these actions were often driven by the ambition and greed of others. Take, for example, the Qoheris family, which ranks as the third most powerful. Despite their stature, they don't even possess a quarter of the strength that my house commands. This is why Valyria is primarily known for the rivalry between the top two houses: Narnareon and Laennalys. After the fall of house Laennalys, league of house Narnareon belong is entirely different.

The fall of House Qoheris is a tale of lust and recklessness. Despite being aware of their own capabilities, they decided to take a dangerous risk. It all began with the future dragon lord of House Qoheris, who happened to be the eldest son of the current dragon lord.

In this world, it's often said that men struggle to control their desires and lower instincts. While this may be true for many, it doesn't apply to everyone. However, when a young man, not even half the age of my mother, approached her with impure intentions, it was clear he was playing with fire. My mother, who had taken an elixir that kept her looking young, was not one to be trifled with.

This young man appeared charming and well-behaved in my presence. But when he dared to grab my mother's hand with his dirty intentions, he received a strong slap in return. This was a gift I had been giving frequently for my recent actions. I had already decided that he was a dead man walking.

The young man eventually traveled to Volantis, likely in search of new whore so that he can entertain. Little did he know that his own dragon had other plans. Instead of obeying his commands, the dragon brought him to where I was waiting. He was a skilled fighter and could have become a dragon lord on his own merits.

In the end, his actions led to his downfall. He was left crippled, with no use of his hands and lower half, not to mention his lower desires. I delivered him to the castle of House Qoheris, courtesy of his own dragon. The dragon then fled to Sorthoryos, escaping the chaos it had unwittingly unleashed.

I wanted to ensure that House Qoheris got the message loud and clear, so I left a note for their head along with crippled son of his: "Sorry I couldn't deliver him as a whole, but for the other parts of him, you can visit House Narnareon. Maybe you can restore him as a whole again." You see, House Qoheris was known for their expertise in medicine and human anatomy, which was quite advanced even compared to the future era when Daenerys Targaryen roamed with her dragons.

However, despite their medical knowledge, they had failed to save my father from greyscale, a curse-like disease which is rather new. All I ever wanted was to acquire their knowledge for my future Empire, so that my people wouldn't have to suffer and die due to lack of treatment. This was the main reason I dared to go up against House Qoheris. 

The dragon lord of House Qoheris, upon seeing his son crippled and close to death, lost his sanity. His son was the only son he had, while his other children were daughters. He was hell-bent on starting a war, but I acted swiftly. When he declared war against House Narnareon, I launched an assault on his castle with my forces and captured his remaining family members in the same day. I did this to bend his knee, and eventually, he did kneel before me.

He attempted to do the same when he learned about what I had done, but he failed in the end. How could he fight with his only soldiers without his vassal's fully gathered when my vassal houses were already prepared for this very day? He was captured in the end, and I paid only a small price for my victory.

Some of their vassal houses were discontent with how I had dealt with their dragon lord, but they ultimately knelt before me to ensure their survival. Just as I desired, I acquired House Qoheris' extensive library, which was the largest in Valyria, along with their skilled and fresh slave healers.

However, my victory against House Qoheris had other families in Valyria worried about their own positions. They saw me as a threat that would eventually come after them, and they weren't entirely wrong—I did have plans for them. My only regret was that many innocent slaves would suffer, even though they had no part in this.

To counter my influence, the four remaining top noble families in Valyria decided to join forces and conspire against me. They were determined to put an end to my ambitions, while the other dragon lord families remained neutral in this brewing conflict.

Little did they know that betrayal would come from within their own bloodlines. In every family, there are individuals who sow discord and cause trouble. The first to act was the eldest daughter of House Dallaeron, whose father was one of the masterminds behind the conspiracy against me. Unfortunately for him, his own daughter betrayed him by sharing his every move with me. Her obsessive infatuation towards me blinded her to the consequences and led her own family to ruin.

Thanks to her, I learned about the conspiracy early on and devised a little dirty plan. I offered a marriage proposal to House Dallaeron, and on the same day, I gathered the other three dragon lord families that were planning to betray me in my castle. There, I revealed their secrets, sending them into a panic. I allowed them to leave, saying, "How foolish of you to trust a traitor." Soon, a war erupted between House Dallaeron and the other three dragon lord families, while I watched from the sidelines.