Chapter 100: Daring Daeron
"Ser Brandon, what's wrong?" Lord Unwin Peake saw the vanguard stop and immediately reined his horse to Ser Brandon Hightower's side.
"Something's not right." Brandon Hightower stared intently into the densely forested Flowers Valley. This valley had only one narrow dirt road for the army to pass through, and three sides were high ground covered with thick forests. It was practically a natural ambush stronghold. Brandon Hightower could tell with his toes that Alan Beesbury, who loved ambushes, would definitely choose this place as the next ambush location.
"How many men does that Alan boy even have? Two thousand at most," Lord Unwin said confidently. "Even if House Tarly and House Caron come to support them, with our current strength, as long as we withstand the first wave of attack and Lord Manderly's main forces arrive, they'll be fish on our chopping block. What's more," Unwin pointed to the sky, "we have Prince Daeron Targaryen, and with a dragon, if they dare to show their heads, we'll burn them."
"The Blacks also have dragons." Brandon Hightower was growing irritated with Unwin Peake's overconfidence. "Tessarion is too small; even Prince Jacaerys Velaryon's dragon can threaten her."
"The Black dragonriders are probably celebrating with that loose woman in King's Landing," Unwin Peake said, then suddenly sighed. "It's a pity we don't know His Majesty's situation, you say—"
"You'd better stop talking, my lord. Go to the rear and prepare. We're withdrawing." Brandon Hightower finally snapped. "Let's avoid unnecessary risks. It's better to fall back and wait for Lord Manderly's main force." Brandon clearly understood that the Greens' usurpation became truly meaningless after Longzel (Draezell) officially raised the black banner. The absolute violence that maintained House Targaryen's rule was not the army, but dragons. Whoever had more dragons, whoever had larger dragons, would wear the true crown. The Greens' only reliance was Vhagar and Dreamfyre, but Dreamfyre… and the Blacks had many battle-hardened dragons. In a situation where absolute violence was at a disadvantage, the Greens' only capital to prove their worth and seek reconciliation was the large army of the Reach and the Westerlands. As long as this living force was preserved, as long as Queen Rhaenyra was not insane, they would not be utterly ruined even if they lost.
"Retreat? Why—" Before Lord Unwin could finish, an extremely sharp shriek suddenly came from the sky. Tessarion, who had just been scouting in the sky, suddenly let out a sharp cry. Daeron quickly lowered his body: "Tessarion, calm down, calm down." From the message transmitted by his dragon, Daeron immediately understood what had happened. Tessarion had discovered her kin in the forest below, and they were very dangerous.
"Ambush! Rear guard to vanguard, general retreat!" Brandon Hightower immediately confirmed his guess. It seemed there was not only an ambush, but a significant one. There was probably a dragon in the woods. "Unwin, immediately go to the rear to command the retreat!" Brandon Hightower directly whipped Unwin's warhorse, and Unwin was carried away before he could react. "Knights dismount, prepare for dismounted combat, longbowmen and crossbowmen prepare to provide cover, light cavalry prepare on the flanks!"
"Heh." Valarr tightened the straps of his dragon saddle. "It seems one really can't underestimate a dragon's senses. Silverwing, it's our turn to enter the fray. Jacaerys, I'll go fight Tessarion. You go give Hightower a big fire."
Jacaerys nodded, and Vermax excitedly shook the leaves off his body, flapped his wings, and soared high from the forest.
Brandon Hightower immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Vermax was about the same size as Tessarion, not much of a threat. Heavily armored knights in plate and mail dismounted one after another, forming a simple line with the heavy infantry in the vanguard, ready to provide cover for the rear guard. "Longbowmen, crossbowmen prepare to cover Prince Daeron, attack the riders and the dragon's eyes—" As soon as the words fell, a black cloud rose from the forest, and dense arrows rained down on Hightower's army. Fortunately, almost everyone in the vanguard wore heavy armor and shields, and the dense arrow rain was either deflected by plate or stuck in shields. Hightower's archers also launched a counterattack.
"Archers, don't stop." Although Lord Vance Caron, the chief vassal of the Varezys family, was old, he was still an excellent general. He had been enfeoffed by Longzel to the eastern valley, where he built a sturdy stone fortress, Caron Keep, by the river. In the year the castle was completed, at the age of fifty-seven, he successfully fathered an heir with his young Valyrian wife. Longzel personally named the child "Regan," echoing his own heir's name, to show favor. Now, three-year-old Regan was taken to Dragonstone to grow up alongside the prince.
Now old Vance had no more reservations. The old man wore silver heavy armor, the weight bending his back slightly, yet he still stood firm, leaning on his spear beside the Unsullied commander. "Unsullied, advance, hold the Hightower heavy infantry. Lord Tarly, your cavalry stand by. Lord Beesbury, lead the archers to cover the spear formation."
Randyll Tarly nodded and returned to his warhorse. "Alan, stay close." Alan Tarly mounted and drew his longsword.
Daeron saw Vermax rise from the forest and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "Tessarion, attack."
Tessarion roared, flapped her wings, suddenly accelerated, and swiftly approached Vermax. She opened her jaws, spewing a stream of deep blue flame. Vermax immediately folded his wings and dove to evade. As Tessarion closed in, Vermax suddenly climbed, circling behind her.
"You bastard Jacaerys, get lost!"
"Daeron, be careful. Your opponent isn't me. Vermax, dodge—dragonfire burst." Jacaerys pressed tightly against the saddle as Vermax flapped his wings, deflecting arrows, and released a sphere of dark green flame that exploded before Tessarion. The fire scattered, forcing Daeron to raise his arm.
When the flames cleared, Vermax had already dived toward the army below. Arrows shot skyward but bounced harmlessly off his thick scales.
Vermax's unusually tough hide owed much to another dragon—Shadow Nightmare—whose bone-hard scales and rapid growth had forced Vermax to adapt in constant rivalry. The two dragons often fought over food, growing from mismatched sizes into near equals, even exceeding one another in length at times. Yet their relationship was not hostile; they often stole from Silverwing together and were chased from the Dragonpit by Vermithor, fleeing to the high towers for refuge.
"Tessarion, stop Vermax!" Daeron shouted as he saw Vermax diving toward their formation.
Below, heavy infantry and dismounted knights had already clashed with the Unsullied spear line. Blood flowed instantly. The first rank of Unsullied wielded twenty-foot spears, making them deadly at range, but Hightower's knights adapted—dodging, breaking shafts, and closing into brutal melee. Axes shattered weapons, swords slipped into armor gaps, and the clash of steel echoed across the field.
Though the Unsullied began to tire, their discipline and disregard for pain held them firm.
Tessarion roared and dived—but at that moment, a massive shadow burst from the forest canopy.
She tried to evade—but it was too fast.
Too large.
Silverwing struck.
Like an eagle snatching prey, she clamped onto Tessarion's wing. Tessarion shrieked, twisting violently and spewing blue flame toward Silverwing's head. Silverwing closed her eyes and shook her head, enduring the flames as Tessarion plummeted like a broken rag doll.
"Seven hells…" Brandon Hightower felt his vision darken.
"Tessarion, balance!" Daeron pulled hard. The wounded dragon struggled—but managed to steady herself, flapping her remaining wing and rising again.
"Daeron!" Valarr roared. "Come face me like Lucerys!"
Daeron silently lowered his visor. "Tessarion… attack."
The dragons collided again.
Scalding dragon blood rained from the sky, burning soldiers of both sides wherever it fell.
"Tessarion, attack!" Daeron roared as he charged straight toward Silverwing's open jaws.
End of Chapter 101
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 40+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics