Chapter 32: Two Strong Boys. 124 AC

Maegor and Helaena walked through the quiet halls of Dragonstone, their steps echoed throughout the building, the sound of howling winds from outside could be heard as they passed some windows, and a couple of maids passed by them, bowing when they saw the two individuals.

Helaena was holding her own hand in front of her stomach like a proper lady like her mother used to teach her, while Maegor placed his hand on his sword's hilt.

"Did they agree?" Helaena asked. "About the fostering?"

"I don't know." Maegor answered. "But it's not like we'll see them at Runestone in a couple of years anyway if they agreed."

"It's getting… stale, in Runestone." said Helaena suddenly. "I may have asked that my threads be changed, but there are some things I still want from the previous line."

Maegor frowned. "And that is?"

Helaena turned to Maegor with a weak smile. "Children." she said. "I will be a good mother, you know?"

"I know that." Maegor sighed. "But I'm just… not comfortable having it now."

"Do you find me too… childish?" asked Helaena. "If so, I will try to change… however little I could."

"As I said before, you're too young, Helaena. Pregnancies are dangerous when young." Maegor pointed out, holding her hand. "At least just… maybe one more year. I promise."

Helaena just hummed. "Then the bronze twins will not come to this world until next year."

Maegor looked at Helaena in amusement. "Oh so now you know that we have to have twins?"

"No, I don't know." Helaena chuckled. "But one can only hope."

Maegor just shook his head as both of them arrived in a giant room. In the middle of the room, there was a long table that was painted with the continent of Westeros. Maegor saw a little boy sitting in the corner, with a maid beside him, he was reading a book rather deeply, seemingly enchanted in it.

There was another boy, just about 10 years of age, standing right beside a window. He was reading phrases of High Valyrian loudly while the maester heard it behind him.

[Skori Aegon zaltan Harrenhal, daor… daor…. daorys glaestan? (When Aegon burned Harrenhal, no… no… no one survived?)] said the boy, turning to the maester, and the maester nodded.

The boy then noticed Helaena and Maegor standin in the entrance of the room, and the boy tensed.

"Go on," said Maegor as he leaned against the wall, with Helaena looking around the place as it is her first time here. "We won't disturb you."

The boy just nodded weakly, and his gaze turned back towards the book again. [Hae se dārys hen tegītsos se… se dārys hen māzigon derēptan pōja azantys va iā tista tegun…. Aegon se zȳhon mandia gaomagon se parmon naejot zālagon se azantyr.… iā bōsa jēda? (As the king of Rock and... the king of the Reach gathered their troops on dry land... Aegon and his sister used the grass to burn the army... a long time?)]

[Iā mība jēda.] Maegor corrected him. "A short time."

"Right…" the boy murmured.

[Giez hen lentor Gardener perished isse se perzys, pār se Lānistor obūljagon isse naejon hen aegon. Se zaldrīzes āeksio iderēbagon zirȳ hae āeksio hen endia, se Tyhrēl Lentor kessa sagon āeksio hen māzigon. (Whole of the House Gardener perished in the fire, then Lannister bent the knee in front of Aegon. The Dragonlord chose them as Lord of the West, and House Tyrell will be Lord of the Reach.)] said Helaena suddenly with a smile.

The Maester turned to them, and bowed. He left the room, leaving the two boys, Maegor, and Helaena. Helaena walked towards the big table, seemingly interested in it. She softly touched the North, then the Vale, but her fingers stopped at Runestone.

"Uncle, Aunt." the boy that was just reading High Valyrian nodded. "I apologize that I didn't greet you sooner."

"No, it's fine." Helaena spoke, her fingers continuing to the Riverlands, towards God's Eye. "We're here for a day, so we could meet you anytime we want."

"Jace and Luke, right?" Maegor said. "We haven't really talked much, have we?"

"As I recall, this is the first time," said Jace.

Maegor hummed. "Can you use a bow?"

"What?"

"Shoot arrows? Or did your step-father not teach you that?"

"I… I don't really have much interest in it…" Jace said.

"The northmen really like hunting." Maegor pointed out, walking towards the table. He pointed his fingers to the Wolfswood, "There are a lot of stags and wolves here."

Jace pretended he knew what Maegor was talking about as the two boys walked towards him, looking at what he's pointing at. Meanwhile, Helaena's fingers moved to Crackclaw's Point.

"You can make a friend in the northmen through hunting." Maegor continued. "The soon-to-be Lord of Winterfell often asked me to go hunting, but… his uncle often used his power as regent to prevent him from doing risky things. Though, in my opinion, it's just him relishing all the power he will get until the boy takes his rightful place, and by that time, he would probably be punished because of it."

While Luke seems confused, Jace seems to know what Maegor is saying. "To be friends with the wolves, you must become one with their pack."

"Exactly." Maegor hummed. "Now, I recommend that you teach yourself how to use a bow, even though you will rarely use it, at least be good at it, who knows, it might save your life someday."

"Then, can you teach us?" asked Jace calmly. "I heard from step-father that you're a good archer."

Maegor just raised his brow in amusement, he then said to Helaena. "Dear, would you mind if I teach these boys a lesson?"

Helaena hummed, her fingers traveled to King's Landing. "Go ahead… Just don't dance around too much…"

—

On the training yard, Maegor and the two strong boys stood in front of arrow targets for practice. In Maegor's hand, Dragon's Bane, while the two strong boys used the castle's bow.

Luke looked at Maegor's bow rather obsessively, seemingly thinking that it was cool.

"Does that bow have a name, uncle?" asked Luke.

"Dragon's Bane." Maegor chuckled. "Why ask? You want to try it?"

Maegor gave the bow to Luke, to which the boy tried to pull the string, to no avail.

"It's… heavy…" he murmured.

"It is, even I still struggle sometimes, well, until I use my left arm." Maegor smiled. "Now, I will show you how to shoot first, then you follow me."

Maegor took Dragon's Bane from Luke, and he used a special type of arrow that he made himself. It was a steel arrow, runes were written on its stick, seemingly strengthening it, and making it light.

He pulled Dragon's Bane string with the arrow, the boys could hear the tension of the bow and string, creaking ever slightly.

"You must stand up straight," said Maegor. "Don't grip the bow too hard, just relax. The power of the bow comes from the string, not your arm. Don't extend your arm too much, because if your arm is straight, I will guarantee you that your wrist will bleed every time you shoot a bow. Level your eye with the arrow to aim. And then, when you're sure it could hit the target, you release it."

Then, Maegor released the string, and a loud cracking noise sounded. The arrow pierced through the air, through the target in the middle, and impaled itself to the stone wall behind the target deeply.

The two boys had this surprised face when they saw it.

"How did you do that…" Luke murmured in admiration.

"With skills… and some things too…" Maegor chuckled. "Now, try to do what I did."

Maegor then continued to help the two boys to do a correct stance to shoot a bow, while Luke struggled because of his short stature, Jace did quite well. He managed to shoot a couple of arrows, hitting it around the middle of the target.

Maegor urged the two boys to continue as he leaned against a table that stored some arrows, he looked at the two boys, his eyes filled with pity. Then, he turned to the castle, towards a window, where he saw Daemon and Rhaenyra looking at them.

He just kept staring at them, and the two kept staring at him, there were no words spoken as they were far away.

But then, his gaze quickly turned towards the dragonmont, seemingly frowning as he felt something…

—

[Meanwhile, with Vermithor]

The bronze dragon crawled inside a cavern deep in the dragonmont. He could see bones of humans and small dragons scattered around the place, the smell of rot and fire filled the cavern, and Vermithor could only growled at the sight of these bones.

When he reached the end of the cave, he saw a dragon, his skin black as coal, dead dragon's scales scattered around his nest, and empty dragon eggs were crushed by his wings.

The dragon's size was bigger than Vermithor, probably around 20 to 30 percent bigger.

The black dragon woke up from his slumber as he noticed the presence of Vermithor, and he growled menacingly at him. The black dragon released his green dragon flame towards the ceiling of the cavern, lighting up the place with green fire for a few seconds. Vermithor took a step back, roaring towards the dragon in front of him.

The black dragon stood up from his nest, his head low on the ground as he growled at Vermithor. Both of them approached each other, but not close enough at snap distance, then suddenly, the two dragons unleashed their flames, the force of the dragonbreath hit each other, the bronze flame and the green flame danced in the middle of the cavern, melting the rocks and stones around it.

Dragons are said to be made from flame itself, and the only fire that could hurt them is their own fire. When the fire stopped, black smoke filled the deep cavern, but Vermithor could see the black dragon's glowing green eyes, and with his legs and wings, he rushed towards the black dragon, his fangs targeting the black dragon's neck.

The fury of the bronze dragon passed through the cavern, scattering the smoke, and the black dragon saw as Vermithor bit his neck, the dragon stumbled down, his back on the ground, struggling to release Vermithor's bite.

The black dragon growled in pain, his anger higher than ever. He tried to use his wings to release the bite, but before he could do it, Vermithor stepped on his black and tattered wings. Finally, the black dragon turned his neck towards Vermithor's, and he unleashed his own bite himself.

Vermithor roared in pain as he released the bite, and the black dragon threw the bronze dragon away from him. Vermithor crashed to the wall of the cavern, the ground shook as he fell, but it didn't hinder him, instead, he released his bronze flame towards the black dragon, where his opponent also countered with his green flame.

The two flames once again danced in the middle of the cavern, this time, it's much longer, as both of the dragons' fury has never been higher than before.

But, Vermithor rushed towards the black dragon, still breathing his dazzling bronze fire, and he passed through the two fires that danced, taking a bit of burn on his scales. He snapped his jaw towards the black dragon's neck once again, where the previous bite's wound had resided.

He clenched tightly as the black dragon released his fire towards the ceiling, trying to burn Vermithor, but it was of no use. Vermithor released his flame while he was still biting the dragon's neck, and that made the dragon's skin burn enough so he could do further damage to the dragon.

And finally, he tore the neck of the old beast, killing him instantly. Vermithor threw away the charred chunk that he just ripped off, and the black dragon released a small green flame as the life in his eyes faded, never to kill a small dragon anymore.

Vermithor, not without his wounds, stepped away from the dragon, and finally, he roared, the cavern shook as he did that, birds around Dragonstone flew away from the sheer shock of his thunderous roar.

Even though he was bleeding in his neck, and chunks of his scales burned, he was the one who was alive, he was the one who was standing.

[A/N: You know who that last part was dedicated to, lol. Anyway, I know it doesn't make sense, but what the hell, I want to practice writing dragon fights, tell me your thoughts on that.]