Chapter 242 [Vault]

Title - HOTD: The Last Dragonlord | Chapter 6 | Female

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[3rd POV]

’…I’m not sure if this is fun’ Bale thought, as she sat at the end of a large table. Around the table were all the Targaryens and those in relation to them.

Rhaenyra, Viserys, Rhaenys, Daemon, Corlys, Laena, Alicent, Aegon, and Laenor. It was a large group of people, but it was all the necessary people for a meeting like this one.

“So, Queen Balegelle, what…what was it like? Valyria? I have been very interested in it. I’ve been fascinated with our home for my entire life and I’d love to know more about it” Viserys asked, his eyes practically sparkling as he asked the question.

“It’s true, he has a model of it and everything” Daemon added with a smirk, much to Viserys’s embarrassment.

“In its prime it was…beautiful. Towers larger than anything this world has, jewels and riches that make even the mighty Empire of Yi Ti look like beggars, and Valyrian steel was everywhere, used for even casual use like spoons and knives. And Gods, the dragons…the dragons were an entirely different breed to what you know” Balegelle said, so this was true.

Thanks to her magic, she was able to see the past of Valyria and what had occurred, so she has seen the prime of their Empire, of what it had been, and what it could be.

“How so? Dragons are dragons, are they not?” Laena asked, interested.

“They are, but the dragons of our home, of when the Freehold was the most powerful, the dragons were simply an entirely different breed in terms of power and size. We held thousands of them in our prime, with each family having as many as two hundred to three hundred dragons. And the largest of them? It makes your Balerion look like a newborn, the first dragon, the one my ancestor rode, was as large as a mountain, and its corpse was held within one of the 14 flames” Bale said, as yet again, this was true.

The largest dragon had been the size of a damn mountain, a God amongst dragons, and the progenitor of all future dragons. It was a true dragon at that, four feet and two wings. But it died long ago after a battle against…something. And its corpse was split up between the 14 flames, used to birth the false dragons that they knew in today’s age.

“Su-Surely you jest? A dragon the size of a mountain cannot exist!” Alicent exclaimed in shock, as everyone looked at Bale in equal amounts of shock, some more hidden than others.

“I have no reason to lie to you, Queen Alicent. It is as real as other legends of the long past, like the Long Night. Every legend is based in truth, even some of the most outlandish ones” Bale responded.

“The long night?” Rhaenyra questioned.

“Mmhmm, the Long Night is not something that has happened only once, Princess. It happened before the one you know of, and in that time, it was our ancestor that fought against the Others, alongside the progenitors of another House of ancient origin” Bale explained.

“And what house would that be?” Rhaenys asked, everyone interested.

“I believe they are known as House Stark in today’s age” Bale responded. And yet again, this was the truth, a shock to her really.

The fact that the ancestor of the Valyrians had fought alongside the ancestor of the Starks was a shock, especially since they were direct descendants in both cases. With her family being a direct descendant of this man, and House Stark being direct descendant to the man who fought with him.

Rhaenyra and Viserys both glanced at one another at these words, as realization hit them. The Song of Ice and Fire that they had both known of, passed down since Aegon. And it was thanks to this prophecy that they knew that Bale was likely telling the truth, and it was because of her that they understood that the Starks…they were important.

‘…Seems I might have just changed things’ Bale realized, knowing that this might cause Viserys and Rhaenyra to pay more attention to the Starks now…probably a good thing to be honest. She liked the Starks, and they were genuinely the most important people to have against the Others beyond the Wall.

Afterall, they carried the blood of the Nights King within them.

“Can we talk about something a little less…dreary?” Laenor asked, a little nervous after hearing of this.

“Ah, yes, what does Valyria look now?” Viserys asked, deciding to change the conversation to something a little less…scary.

“It’s…sad. The once beautiful splendor has been destroyed, and is now replaced with destruction and death. Creatures of immense power and hatred roam the place, with disgusting monstrosities claiming it for themselves. Creatures that even I cannot deal with, not yet. Born from a catastrophe better unspoken, creatures known as “Fire Wyrms” infectious worms that even Dragons cannot survive against, at least, not in most cases” Bale responded.

Fire Wyrms were immensely dangerous creatures that could kill a dragon, and there were dozens of them in Valyria. She was very very lucky that she hadn’t run into one in her first appearance in the place, but upon her return? She had seen them, and she didn’t even think of landing.

They were giant, infectious, and very very dangerous. Sizes ranging from a house to towering over even her dragons.

“Infectious?”

”Mmhmm, one cut, one wound, and you’ll be infected by them. A sort of fever that will cause fire Wyrms to be born underneath the skin. It is how they repopulate. A disgusting vile disease that is not something anyone can survive, not without magic and rituals of incredible power” Bale explained, as those who knew the truth about Aerea Targaryen breathed in deeply.

They now understood what had happened and why Balerion had gotten injured so terribly.

“…I can see now why nobody would survive going there. There must be hundreds of these creatures” Corlys said, as understanding filled him.

“More like thousands. Some are larger than Balerion himself, but that's only the largest of them. And thankfully they cannot leave the cursed place” Bale said, as she made sure of that herself. As it seemed that some sort of magical barrier had been put into place that forced them to stay there.

She imagined it was a last resort of the Valyrians of old to stop it from spreading.

“Was there a lot of dragon eggs there?” Laena asked, deciding to change the conversation once again.

“Oh yes, hundreds. Most of them have been petrified, but those that are held within the vaults of the great families are untouched and hatchable”

”Were your dragons hatched from one of those vaults?” Rhaenyra asked.

“No, they were passed on to me by my father, put into a sleep akin to mine to wait for me. Held within a place known as “Zaldrīzes lua” the Dragon Keep. It’s where we used to hold our dragons, a large spacious place, perfect for a dragon to be held” Bale explained, as Laenor spoke.

“So like the dragon pit here in Kings Landing?”

”No! We did not limit the growth of our dragons in such a horrid little place. Dragons are free creatures, ones of power and might. They are not meant to be held in a pit. And sure, they might sleep within a cave every once in a while, they are not supposed to live there for extended periods of time. It limits their growth and can weaken them over time” Bale exclaimed, disgusted with the thought of a Dragon Pit.

They genuinely were awful and while the Targaryen’s didn’t realize, they were unknowingly mistreating their dragons.

“Is the dragon's pit truly so awful?” Viserys questioned, taken aback by her open disgust.

“Yes. I don’t think you understand just how awful that place is for a dragon, Viserys. Dragons are quite literally connected with heat and nature, connected to the very sun in the sky and the warmth of the world. Keeping them in a cold or enclosed environment, without allowing them to feed on their own, can drastically weaken them. They should be able to eat until they are full, otherwise they will die faster. There is a reason why the old dragons lived so long without the Dragons Pit, it is because they lived freely” Bale explained.

“But how would you stop them from eating people's cattle? Or even people?” Alicent voiced.

“Dragons are smart creatures, smart enough to know what is food and what isn’t. They will not eat a human unless they are truly starving, or if their bond wants them to, or has some sort of dislike towards that human. And in a case like yours, the dragons will likely feed more on fish and sheep than anything, so they wouldn’t be too great of a problem” Bale said, as Viserys seemed to be contemplating something, as he wondered if letting them out freely is truly the best thing to do.

“Is that what you do?”

“It is. All of my dragons eat freely and live freely. And never once have they eaten an innocent human before, it’s always slavers and scum that deserve death. They don’t like the taste of humans that much anyways, mine prefer cattle and sheep” Bale said in response to Laena.

“You have given me much to think about, Queen Balegelle” Viserys said, as he decided to look into this matter more.

“I do have another matter to speak with you about, Queen Balegelle” Viserys added, as Bale turned to him intently.

“I must ask, would you be open to a trade agreement? Or perhaps even an Alliance, once sealed with marriage? I believe my son would be an excellent-“ “I do hope you’re not trying to ask me to marry your son who is only what, two name days old, three?” Bale cut him off, disgusted with the thought.

“He is an excellent match, your grace, he would allow for you to have man-“ “Queen Alicent, I am not going to marry your son, or any man for that matter” Bale cut her off, as they all looked at her, confused.

“Any man?”

”Mmhmm, indeed. In the Valyrian Freehold, there existed a rather simple ritual, one that was used frequently by women. It allowed for two women to have children, without the presence of a man, while being the same as if they laid with one. It was frequently used because in Old Valyria, marriage between two men or two women, was completely and utterly legal under the eyes of the Valyrian Gods” Balegelle responded, as their eyes widened, especially Laenors.

“You mean to tell me that you-“ “Are attracted to women? Yes, I am. We are dragons, Viserys Targaryen, the beliefs of others matters little. And because of this ritual, I can still bring forth heirs without having to lay with a man, as my wife will be carrying my blood within their stomachs when the time comes” Balegelle said, cutting the shocked man off.

“…And what if my daughter would marry you?” A voice cut in, as Balegelle stopped, her head turning to Corlys with a raised eyebrow.

“Would you be willing then?” Corlys questioned, understanding that this woman in front of him was powerful, more powerful than any lord in Westeros. She would bring them more power and prestige than even the Iron Throne, and whether or not his daughter married a woman matters little before what Bale would bring them.

Glancing back at Laena, Bale hummed as she looked the beautiful girl over.

“I must admit…I am interested in the prospect, as your daughter is easily one of the most attractive women I have ever laid my eyes upon” Balegelle responded.

‘An appropriate age too’ Bale added in her mind.

Laena looked a little shocked at her fathers offer, but couldn’t help but feel herself flush as the impossibly attractive woman looked her over.

“But, I am not one to force a marriage. I would only be willing if the one I am marrying is willing. That, and I’d prefer to get to know them before anything” Bale said, as she saw the others in the room looking between them.

Before Corlys could respond, Viserys spoke up, speaking words that caused shock to ripple through the room, with even Bale looking at him in surprise.

“What about my daughter? Would you be willing to marry Rhaenyra?”

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That’s the end of the chapter!

And so it begins! Love interests are Rhaenyra and Laena, as stated several times before.

Not sure how well the background I am building is, but I think it’s neat. Most of it is OC of course, as George hasn’t really went to into detail in regards to Valyria and it’s history, which is why it is so damn interesting.

Anyways, have a good day!