Chapter 101: Bloodstained Flowers Valley
"Dracarys." Prince Valarr watched Tessarion, who was swaying and rushing towards him, with satisfaction, and pulled the hook on the dragon saddle. "Good girl, you're brave enough. I'll give you a quick end."
Silverwing raised her head, and a surge of dragonflame engulfed Tessarion and the young prince on the cobalt-blue dragon's back. Tessarion, only one-third the size of Silverwing, immediately let out a piercing scream under the scorching heat of Silverwing's dragonflame. The young dragon's scales could resist bows and arrows, but they could not withstand the old dragon's searing flames. Almost visibly, the Blue Queen's beautiful cobalt-blue scales and bright copper-colored claws and horns quickly turned charred black under the continuous stream of fire, the scales cracked, and the hot blood that just gushed out was instantly evaporated by the dragonflame.
As for Prince Daeron Targaryen, he indeed received a merciful quick end. The scorching dragonflame burned the young prince on the dragon saddle into a charred lump in the blink of an eye. To reduce his suffering, Prince Valarr specifically had Silverwing unleash her full fiery breath, aiming to swiftly dispatch the Valyrian dragonlord, who possessed a natural resistance to heat.
Tessarion roared as she fell, and Silverwing deftly caught her by the neck. Silverwing's teeth pierced through the already burnt and cracked scales of the dragon's neck with a single bite. The Blue Queen let out a wail, her eyes gradually losing their luster. The dragon carried Tessarion and flew over the narrow Black army. Almost all the Black soldiers who had not yet retreated from Flowers Valley witnessed their enemy dragon being almost tortured to death by Prince Valarr.
Lord Unwin Peake's mouth hung open, but his body reacted faster than his mind, immediately spurring his warhorse to flee like a madman out of the valley. Fleeing with him was the entire rear army, and for a time, the entire formation plunged into immense chaos. The rear army was routed, the central army's formation was scattered by the Borderlands forces and House Beesbury's troops rushing out of the forest, and only the vanguard, which was directly confronting the Unsullied, was still holding on.
"The dragon is dead," Ser Jon Roxton stated plainly.
Ser Brandon Hightower, who already had a broken Unsullied spear stuck in him, watched with some despair as Silverwing flew triumphantly over his army, then threw Tessarion's corpse into the center of the crowd like trash. Rolling smoke instantly replaced the blood and shouts of battle. The dragon's scalding blood splattered, crushing soldiers who couldn't escape and scalding many to death.
"House Hightower is finished." Brandon Hightower's eyes gradually became hollow. He could already foresee the outcome: Prince Daeron and Tessarion were slain, and Sunfyre was also dead. The Greens' only remaining dragons capable of battle were Vhagar and Dreamfyre, and surely the Blacks' next target would be Vhagar. If Vhagar fell, the Greens would never rise again. Though some princes still had the blood of the dragon, defects or weakness would not save their cause. The family would need a fallback, but whether Ormund Hightower and Otto Hightower could realize this…
Thinking of this, Brandon Hightower stopped pondering and raised his longsword and warhammer, throwing himself back into the fight. Most of the dismounted knights and heavy infantry of the vanguard were elites of House Hightower; their strength and morale remained formidable. Even after witnessing Tessarion being slaughtered, they still charged headlong into the Unsullied's ranks.
Prince Valarr glanced back at the vanguard. "My, as expected of elites forged with gold. Heh, Jacaerys, your turn."
He no longer lingered, gripping the saddle and directing Silverwing to burn the fleeing Hightower soldiers.
And Vermax formally joined the slaughter. Prince Jacaerys Velaryon carefully controlled Vermax's fire, burning the reinforcements trying to support the vanguard. These "iron cans" might have once been tourney champions, but before dragonflame—everyone was equal.
Hightower's archers fired desperately into the sky, but they were either incinerated, shot down by Tarly archers, or cut apart by advancing Black soldiers. Only one bolt struck Jacaerys's shoulder, but his plate armor held; it did not even break the skin. Vermax, however, was enraged and unleashed a torrent of flame in retaliation.
Silverwing's flames were far more devastating. Where Vermax might kill a handful, Silverwing erased entire ranks in a single breath.
Brandon Hightower, exhausted, still fought on. He crushed an Unsullied's helmet with his hammer, then drove a sword into the man's eye. With the support of his knights, he even broke through the spear line, revealing banners behind: House Caron, House Tarly, House Velaryon, House Beesbury, and others.
But it was the end.
The cavalry meant to break the Unsullied's flank had scattered under dragonfire and were now surrounded. Ser Jon Roxton was gone. Only his Valyrian steel blade had carried Brandon this far.
The knights of House Hightower finally faltered.
Alan Beesbury drew his bow and shot Brandon through the neck.
"He was a brave warrior," Lord Vance Caron said quietly.
"He was an enemy," Alan replied, slitting his throat.
Elsewhere, Jon Roxton still fought, clashing with Lord Randyll Tarly. Steel rang out—greatsword against longsword. Tarly faltered with age, and Roxton struck, gutting him.
But Alan Tarly arrived.
With one blow, he severed Roxton's arm.
With the next—his head.
"Seven hells…" Randyll Tarly muttered, holding in his entrails. "Dying in battle… worth it."
"Father, hold on—"
Silverwing descended.
"Keep your helm on," Valarr barked at Jacaerys. "I can afford recklessness. You cannot."
They rushed to Tarly.
"Too severe," said the young healer. "He must be moved—"
"No need," Tarly rasped. "We won… didn't we?"
"There is no truer victory," Valarr said.
"Then let me die a hunter's death… Alan… take care of your mother… and the house…"
He looked to Valarr.
"Give me a warrior's end."
Valarr sighed.
"Silverwing… dracarys."
Flame consumed him.
The Battle of Flowers Valley ended in total catastrophe for the Greens.
Eight thousand vanguard troops were shattered.
Brandon Hightower and Jon Roxton were slain.
Prince Daeron and Tessarion were killed.
Only Unwin Peake escaped with a fragment of the army.
Lord Randyll Tarly fell in battle, and Alan Tarly claimed vengeance, earning the names "Chainbreaker" and "Orphan Protector."
At the same time—
Harrenhal.
Dragonzel gazed at the pitch-black, chilling liquid extracted from Arya Harroway's body…
…and fell into deep thought.
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