Game of Thrones: Second Son of House Targaryen

Chapter 262: How to Travel to King’s Landing?

Since Viserys had already chosen Claw Isle as his strategic springboard, Ardrian’s decision was rendered irrelevant. After Jorah's arrival, Viserys swiftly took control of Claw Isle with just a few hundred men.

His Dragon’s Soul ablity, having undergone two mutations after Skinchanger, faced some limitations due to distance. Commanding the dragons from too far away could result in a delay, which, though not significant, was still concerning. After all, these were dragons infused with his own blood—losing even one, or seeing it injured, would be devastating.

However, this wasn’t the primary reason for Viserys’s presence on Claw Isle. He had come to personally select the most strategic location for a future landing. After much deliberation, he determined that Crackclaw Point was the ideal choice.

In the original timeline, Aegon led the Golden Company into the Stormlands and captured Storm's End. But that was in Westeros after the War of the Five Kings, when Storm's End was poorly defended and the surrounding lords were weakened. The current situation was different—now, the Stormlands were brimming with soldiers and resources, making it a difficult and bloody place to land.

Other options, like Gulltown in the Vale, were also unappealing. Although Gulltown had remained loyal to the crown during the War of the Usurper, the Vale's mountainous terrain made a sea-based assault nearly impossible, risking entrapment. As for King's Landing, Viserys knew Robert would heavily fortify it as soon as he learned of their approach.

Ultimately, Viserys decided to land on the Crab Claw Peninsula and march directly toward Harrenhal. With his formidable army, he could block The Neck to the north, join forces with The Reach to attack King's Landing to the south, strike at the Riverlands to the west, and contain the Vale's forces at the Bloody Gate to the east.

The key advantage was that the inhabitants of Crackclaw Point had long prided themselves on being "loyal subjects of the Dragonlord." They had even sent troops to support Rhaegar in the final moments of the War of the Usurper, giving Viserys a strong local base of support.

Before mobilizing his forces to reclaim the Iron Throne, Viserys knew it was essential to hold a secret meeting with the lords of Crackclaw Point.

As he observed the stunned expressions on the faces of Ardrian and his son, Viserys leaned slightly to the side.

The yellow dragon, the red Dragon, and the green dragon—three majestic creatures—entered the hall one after the other. They sniffed the air and watched their surroundings warily. Given their rapid growth, Viserys estimated that in two years, they would barely fit within the room.

At the sight of the calf-sized dragons, Arson let out a terrified scream and fainted. Viserys hadn’t anticipated such a reaction. Young Ar, unable to help his father, quickly fell to his knees.

When Ardrian finally opened his eyes, he found Viserys seated in his place, while he lay in his son’s arms.

"Your Grace!" This time, Ardrian didn’t hesitate for a moment. He scrambled to his knees at Viserys’s feet, his voice hoarse with emotion, nearly cracking under the strain.

Viserys stood and helped him to his feet.

"Ser Celtigar, you may once again stand under the banner of the Three-Headed Dragon," Viserys declared.

When Ardrian rose to his feet, his expression was one of exaggerated sorrow. His brows furrowed deeply into a figure-eight shape, the corners of his mouth turned down, and his eyes squinted as if he were trying to iron out the wrinkles on his face. In reality, he was attempting to muster a few tears to demonstrate his loyalty. However, age had taken its toll—not only had his prostate begun to fail him, but even his tear ducts seemed to have ceased functioning properly. The result was the odd expression he now wore.

"It's all right, Ser Celtigar," Viserys reassured him gently. "You have been a faithful adviser to the Targaryens, and I understand your feelings."

At this stage, Viserys knew better than to demand absolute loyalty from anyone. The notion of "absolute loyalty" was a rare commodity in Westeros. After helping Ardrian to his feet, Viserys took his seat at the head of the table. Ardrian sat in the secondary seat, while Arson and Jorah remained standing.

Both father and son had met "First Targaryen Son," Rhaegar, before, and they couldn’t help but notice how much Viserys resembled him. After sizing up the young Targaryen prince, they stole furtive glances at the three dragons prowling the hall.

The sound of claws scraping against the floor echoed through the dimly lit room. The dragon's claws, glinting faintly in the low light, appeared to be nearly half a foot long—almost as deadly as daggers.

The largest of the three, the yellow dragon, was drawing closer and closer to Arson, who grew increasingly anxious, his desire to scream barely contained. But with Viserys nearby, he could only grit his teeth and endure.

The yellow dragon eventually stopped beside Viserys, nudging its head against his hand, seeking affection. Viserys, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, began to stroke the dragon’s head, which was about the size of a rugby ball. The yellow dragon was the fastest-growing of the three, and two small horns had already begun to sprout from its head, which felt warm to the touch.

The young dragon seemed content, closing its eyes as Viserys petted it. At one point, it scratched its neck with a claw, causing a few golden scales to fall to the ground. The dragon was growing so rapidly that it was constantly shedding scales.

Ardrian's eyes immediately flicked to the scales on the floor, and his foot instinctively moved slightly in their direction. 'Dragon scales—those must be worth a fortune!' he thought, his mind racing. 'At least ten, if not thirty gold dragons per scale! Maybe even hundreds!'

He almost couldn’t resist the urge to pocket the scales, but his attention quickly shifted as Viserys revealed his plans. The old man’s greed was soon overtaken by shock at what he heard, leaving him no longer concerned about the valuable scales on the floor.

"Your Grace, isn't this a bit dangerous?" Ardrian asked hesitantly.

"What's there to fear?" Viserys replied with a dismissive wave. "You're only transporting me to the Blackwater Rush. I'll be wearing a hat, and no one will recognize me anyway."

Jorah had long been aware of Viserys's plans and was unfazed by them. He knew that his king had a penchant for caution but also harbored a taste for risk. Jorah had accompanied Viserys on nearly all of his ventures, starting with the daring raid on the pirate stronghold at Orange Shore Bay.

Ardrian and his son considered Viserys's words and realized there was little real danger. Since Viserys had decided not to bring the dragons, the risk of exposure was even lower. Crackclaw Point was riddled with valleys where the young dragons could be safely hidden until they were needed.

The next morning, Viserys and Jorah boarded Ardrian's ship, the Red Crab, and set sail for King's Landing. Meanwhile, in the capital, Robert had placed the Red Viper under close watch. Although the prince's movements weren't entirely restricted, he wasn't permitted to stray far from the city, especially not with his two bastard daughters.

Yet, the Red Viper was unbothered by these limitations. His greatest desire at the moment was to finally witness a dragon in the flesh. After a glance at the gold cloaks still loitering outside his residence, he decided to catch some sleep.

As Viserys’s ship neared King's Landing, less than an hour away, he decided to enter the Red Viper's dreams for the first time.

The dream unfolded in the Red Viper’s chambers, with a prostitute sprawled across his bed. Viserys appeared before him and asked, "So, how have you been? Getting used to King's Landing?"

"It's tolerable, though King's Landing stinks," the Red Viper replied with a smirk.

"Get over it. What else?"

"I’ve noticed that my magical abilities haven’t progressed," the Red Viper complained. "I want to learn water magic." He spat in frustration, adding that after more than two years, he could barely manage to light candles. Unlike Viserys, he couldn't conjure animals out of flames.

"Don't worry," Viserys assured him. "I'll transfer you to another specialty when I have time."

"Transfer me?" the Red Viper echoed, puzzled.

Viserys didn’t elaborate. Instead, he informed the Red Viper that he would soon be arriving in King's Landing and needed him to check on Ronan's progress. With that, Viserys exited the Red Viper's dream.

The Red Viper awoke abruptly, his heart racing. "Viserys! Viserys!" he muttered, still disoriented. 'Did he really enter my dream?'

He believed it. Reflecting on the letter Viserys had sent him earlier, he realized that what had once seemed unbelievable now felt entirely possible. Suddenly, he recalled with a start that he had forgotten to ask Viserys if he had truly hatched a dragon. Perhaps, in the next dream, Viserys could show it to him!