Chapter 104: The Future Dream

Dragonstone Island, Coastline

The black dragon soared through the sky, weaving between clouds and sea. After a while, it landed on a cliff, settling on the rocky ground.

Rhaegar was lying on the dragon's back, closing his eyes to feel the cool breeze on his face. The Cannibal roared softly and lowered its body to the ground, connecting its head and tail, ready to sleep.

the ground, connecting its head and tail, ready to sleep.

Rhaegar lay still, eyes closed, and gradually slipped into a dream.

He had a brief dream.

He saw the castle on Dragonstone Island. His sister, Rhaenyra, was captured by a group of men. A sharp blade sliced through her skin, and blood soaked her skirt. She struggled, screamed, and cursed something he couldn't hear. Rhaegar watched from a distance, unable to help.

Out of nowhere, a dragon's mouth opened and bit into Rhaenyra's shoulder. The dragon's fangs tore through her body, causing a lot of pain. Rhaenyra's face went pale as she screamed and cursed the person who had betrayed her.

"Brother, I curse you! You will fall into the Seven Hells!"

Her curses echoed in his mind. Rhaegar heard them loud and clear. She was cursing him, her brother.

Rhaegar suddenly woke up, and the dream started to fade. In the final moments of the dream, he saw Rhaenyra torn apart by the dragon, her body swallowed piece by piece.

Her desperate cries kept him awake as he suddenly woke up.

"No!....."

The image of his sister's tragic death really upset him. Rhaegar sat up, his heart racing and his breathing heavy.

"Roar ..." the Cannibal growled softly, sensing its master's distress.

Rhaegar looked out into the distance, the vivid dream still fresh in his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him.

He was alone with the wind, the waves, and the gentle rumble of the dragon beneath him.

Rhaegar looked around. The blue sky and white clouds were calm, with no hint of the nightmare's gloom.

"Just another dream," he said to himself.

He took a deep breath and tried to shake off the dream, to separate it from reality. He started to sweat, and he wiped it away, feeling the chill of his own skin.

Rhaegar tried to calm his breathing and gradually shake off the fear that had gripped him.

"When did I fall asleep and have such a bad dream?"

He lowered his head, holding his forehead, his heart racing with the lingering fear. He couldn't believe he'd fallen asleep on the back of a dragon, let alone had such a horrifying vision.

Rhaenyra was his closest relative and his only sister. But in his dream, she was eaten by a dragon, and she died a horrible death. He could still hear her final cry, cursing him, ringing in his ears.

Rhaegar looked down at his hands, feeling anxious. "Was she cursing me?"

Was he the one who condemned Rhaenyra to such a fate?

"No way! It can't be me!"

After a moment of thought, he sharpened his eyes and solidified his resolve to protect his sister.

"Rhaenyra will be in danger in the future. This shouldn't happen."

He denied the notion that he was the brother in her dream.

Rhaegar glanced at the sleeping Cannibal beneath him and slid down one of the dragon's wings, heading toward the castle.

He needed to see Rhaenyra and talk to his father again.

...

When Rhaegar returned to the castle, he learned from Ser Cole that Rhaenyra had been called away by their father. His heart raced with worry, and without hesitation, he made his way to his father's room.

As he approached the door, he saw Harrold standing guard. The old knight noticed him coming down the hallway and was about to speak when Rhaegar raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

Harrold, experienced and perceptive, immediately fell silent and bowed his head, stepping aside.

"Thank you," Rhaegar whispered as he reached the door.

Just then, he heard Rhaenyra's voice from inside.

"I had long guessed this day would come, but I didn't expect it to come so soon!"

Rhaegar felt a sinking feeling in his heart. He reached out to push the door open, but Harrold gently held his shoulder, signaling him to wait. Rhaegar looked at him in confusion, but Harrold's serious expression and silent gesture made him pause.

"Rhaenyra, you're a great girl, but the Iron Throne needs a strong leader," Viserys said from inside.

Rhaegar leaned against the wall and listened closely.

"Father, I'm also a dragonrider," Rhaenyra replied, her voice firm. "I'd rather be a knight leading a charge than be seen as a liability."

Viserys let out a sigh. "The world's prejudice is like a mountain. They think you're not fit to be a knight, let alone a queen."

"That's no reason to replace me. You never listened to that kind of advice before," Rhaenyra replied, her voice wavering slightly.

"I never doubted your fitness for the Iron Throne because you are a woman," Viserys said apologetically. "But I had a dream of a prince crowned with the Conqueror's Crown, changing the world in blood and fire."

"And that prince was Rhaegar?" Rhaenyra asked quietly.

"Yes, the night before Rhaegar returned, I had that dream again. The prince was Rhaegar as an adult, and I could not mistake it."

Rhaenyra laughed bitterly. "An absurd reason, as absurd as the one you used to choose me as your heir."

"Rhaenyra, Rhaegar is my eldest son..." Viserys began, but his voice trailed off.

There was a sudden opening of the door in the middle of Viserys' sentence.

The two people inside were startled by the sudden sound. They turned to see an expressionless Rhaegar standing straight in the doorway.

"Rhaegar, I thought you'd left. What are you doing back here?" Viserys' expression shifted slightly, and he reprimanded in a low voice.

Rhaenyra glanced at her brother slyly. She tried to form a smile, but her lips only twitched without success.

"We're family, and I'm entitled to take part in these discussions," Rhaegar said, stepping into the room. He turned and closed the door behind him.

He walked over to Rhaenyra and took one of her hands.

Rhaenyra gave a little struggle, but Rhaegar held her hand firmly. Her hand was smooth, but it felt cold to his touch.

He looked at her tear-streaked face and said, "Sister, I won't hurt you, and I don't want to take away what belongs to you."

Rhaenyra looked back at him, her eyes filled with sadness. She just shook her head.

Her father had already decided to replace her as heir, and there was no way to change his mind.

"I'm tired, Rhaegar," she said, her eyes red with tears.

She had thought about being angry, about venting her frustration.

But that would only make her look bad and make her father dislike her even more.

Since the day she became heir to the throne, she had never enjoyed a single day of peace.

Now that her father had rejected her, she felt even more exhausted.

She thought it was pathetic and ridiculous to have even considered sitting on the Iron Throne.

She felt completely powerless, unable to even think about fighting with her brother to defend her claim.

Seeing his sister in tears, Rhaegar felt a surge of anxiety and hugged her.

Then, he let go of her hand and turned to face his father.

"Father, it is not appropriate to change the heir, and I do not intend to take on such a heavy burden," Rhaegar said, trying to appeal to his father.

Viserys shook his head. "It is not as simple as you think, Rhaegar."

"The Iron Throne needs a strong king to sit on it, and Rhaenyra isn't very decisive. She will only weaken the rule of House Targaryen rather than revitalize it."

(Word count: 1,327)