Game of Thrones: Dance of the Dragons

"Stand up and tell me your name," Beller said fluently in Higher Valyan.

Aston Vieille knelt respectfully before Prince Beller, "Your Highness, my name is Aston Vieille."

"Thank you for speaking up and saving my and the captain's insignificant lives."

Baelor had seen it in a book; it was the surname of the bastards of King's Landing.

Bastards in each region of Westeros have different surnames.

Bastards born in the North are collectively known as Jon Snow.

Illegitimate children born in the river bend are collectively referred to as Hewen.

"Tell me, why do you think Corracchus attacked me in such a rage?" Baylor sat on a nearby rock, interrogating Aston.

Aston Viss bowed respectfully. "Your Highness, our Dragon Guard's logbook is filled with notes on dragons' habits, diet, temperament, and all sorts of other things."

"Among these factors, environment and diet are the most important. As long as these two aspects are met, the dragon will not harm people indiscriminately."

"But there is another situation, which is when facing a dragon rider who makes them feel threatened. Because dragons can also sense the emotions of their riders and thus change their stance."

"You mean, the reason Koraksh wanted to attack me was partly because of Damon, and partly because I, as a dragon rider, made it sense danger?" Baylor asked, somewhat incredulous.

Although he had a target to tame, his actual encounter with the Glutton was only in his dreams; Baylor never even had the chance to ride on the Glutton's dragon back.

If this is what you call taming, then it's even more terrifying than a prophecy being a dream!

"Yes, Your Highness, I haven't been with the Dragon Guard for very long, but I remember the relevant precautions very clearly!" Aston gave an affirmative reply.

Baylor did not reply, but instead asked the Dragon Guard Captain to bring the book on precautions for the Dragon's Lair, preparing to carefully read through all the records about dragons since the establishment of the Dragon Guard.

"Does your family currently live in King's Landing?" Baylor asked Aston, turning to him.

"No, Your Highness."

"My family lives on Dragonstone, and I haven't seen them for over two months," Aston said, shaking his head sadly.

"If you wish, I can bring your family to King's Landing to live with you," Baylor chuckled, not about to let slip this golden opportunity to win people over.

Aston knelt down on the spot, overwhelmed with emotion, "Thank you for your grace, Prince!"

"What can I, a lowly dragon guard, do for you?"

"Be my eyes, and be loyal only to myself."

Baylor admired Aston's quick thinking. This illegitimate son clearly understood that with every result, a corresponding price must be paid.

Aston was thrilled. "It is my honor to serve you, Your Highness!"

This Prince Beile before me is the king's eldest son, the future king of the seven kingdoms, and the sole heir to the Iron Throne. Serving under him is more exciting than receiving a hundred golden dragons!

Baylor nodded in satisfaction, then turned to the Dragon Guard captain beside him, "If you train him well, your family will receive the same treatment."

The captain of the Dragon Guard bowed respectfully. "I will never let you down, Your Highness."

Having received a satisfactory answer, Baylor handed the book in his hand to Sir Illic for safekeeping, and then looked into the depths of the dragon's lair.

"Besides Dreamfire, are there any other dragons in the Dragon's Lair?"

"There's a young dragon named Yangyan; if you're going to try to make that guess, it would be a good choice," Aston said eagerly.

"Aston, who told you I was going to use a dragon to verify my suspicions?"

The prince placed one hand on the dragon horn dagger at his waist, staring at his eager-to-prove-him bastard son with a forced smile.

Aston was stunned. Based on his observation, Prince Baylor was undoubtedly thinking the same thing, so why would he deny it?

"Prince, is that you?"

"Sir Illicium, help me control his body," Baylor said coldly.

As expected of one of the Iron Guards of the Forest Defense, Ilik barely gave Aston any time to react before he pinned him firmly against the stone wall with one hand.

"Please let the prince decide."

Baylor drew his dragon horn dagger, walked slowly to Aston's side as he struggled frantically, and cleanly severed his left little finger.

"Aaaaaah—!"

"My hand! My hand!"

Aston's screams echoed throughout the entire dragon's lair, while the dragon guards present kept their heads down, not daring to make a sound.

Baylor stepped forward and asked, "Captain Dragon Guard, Aston's little finger accidentally fell off. Do you know how that happened?"

"Yes, it was Aston who was accidentally burned by dragon flames while cleaning the dragon's lair. To prevent it from getting worse, he had the scholar cut off his finger!" The dragon guard captain was completely terrified.

He never imagined that the seemingly kind and polite eldest son of the king, Prince, was actually a ruthless killer in human skin!

More importantly, he is only six years old this year, yet he has such courage.

It's unimaginable what earth-shattering achievements this crown prince will make when he truly grows up!

"Yes, I will find him a renowned scholar, hoping that his wound will not leave an unsightly scar."

"And I wish him well, that something like this never happens again." Baylor patted the Dragon Guard captain on the shoulder.

His meaning was clear: the matter was over, and from now on, such a thing must not be allowed to happen again.

"Your Highness, please rest assured!" The captain of the Dragon Guard hurriedly knelt down to assure him.

The other dragon guards also hurriedly knelt down to pledge their loyalty, fearing that if the prince displeased them, they would also have their little fingers cut off.

"I believe in you."

Afterwards, Beller and Ilic boarded a carriage and left the dragon's lair.

On the way back to the Red Keep, Illic, who was guarding the carriage, kept glancing at Baylor, looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Sir Illicium, you are my personal bodyguard, and there is nothing between us that cannot be said directly," Baylor said first.

"Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness."

"Your personal action of cutting off the Dragon Guard's little finger will cause this illegitimate child to resent you, which I don't think is worth it."

To be honest, when he saw Prince Bellor personally pull out the dragon horn dagger and decisively cut off Aston's little finger, he felt excited and incredulous.

At the same time, he was also worried about Baylor. Although the status of a bastard was extremely low, Aston was, after all, a dragon guard who managed the dragon's lair.

What if this scoundrel holds a grudge against Prince and secretly removes the shackles while the prince is taming the dragon to take revenge on him?

Ilic did not understand Valyrian, so he had no idea what the Baelor and the dragon guards were talking about.

"Sir Illicium, how about we make a bet? Let's see if Aston will personally hand over the situation at the Dragon's Lair from yesterday to me this afternoon."

"If you lose, swear to me with this white robe and the honor of being a member of the Imperial Guard that you will never reveal what happened today."

Beller tapped the wooden handle beside him lightly, his tone revealing undisguised confidence.