ASOIAF: The True House of Dragons

Balerion carried Aegon southward, accompanied by Vhagar with his blue-gray scales, and Meraxes with her golden eyes and silver scales.

As they flew over Bitterbridge, snowflakes drifted down like feathers.

Flying north from Highgarden, the temperature had gradually dropped. Back in Highgarden, there had only been a light dusting of snow in the early morning. But now, as they reached the edge of the Crownlands at Bitterbridge, the ground was already blanketed in white.

Aegon and his sisters had no choice but to bring their dragons down from the sky. The Targaryen family's half-covered dragon saddles could only shield them from strong winds, but the cold at high altitude was unbearable— even a gentle breeze cut like a blade.

Aegon found himself wondering whether he should design a fully enclosed, carriage-style dragon saddle. He couldn't help but applaud his own idea, even imagining a tank-like saddle equipped with a siege crossbow mounted at the front—something that would allow dragonriders to contribute more actively in battle, rather than being dead weight to their dragons.

"What are you thinking about? I called you twice," Rhaenys shouted, wrapped tightly in a pink bearskin coat.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Aegon replied from atop his saddle, "Nothing. I just want to stay on Balerion's back. His body's like a furnace. As long as the wind doesn't hit, it's actually pretty warm."

At that moment, Aegon felt like a student refusing to get out of bed on a cold winter morning. As a dragon tamer, staying beside his dragon not only kept him warm but also allowed him to practice Blood Sorcery and cultivate spiritual resonance. It was a cozy arrangement.

Visenya rode up beside Balerion and asked, "So, what now? Do we wait for the royal fleet, or head back to King's Landing ourselves?"

Aegon dismounted, rubbing his cold hands together and breathing out a puff of white mist. "We'll wait and go back with them. The kingdom is still newly founded, and there are plenty of Westerosi who resent us Targaryens. In this bitter winter, with people hungry and cold, we can't rule out the chance of running into trouble."

Just then, a small group of knights came galloping toward Bitterbridge. The lead rider wore thick leather armor, bearing the sigil of a centaur.

Even from afar, the knight shouted, "Your Grace! Is that King Aegon?"

Aegon smiled and said to his sisters, "This Centaur family lives right at the edge of the Crownlands. Let's rest at their castle for a bit."

During the Great Council at the kingdom's founding, the initial borders of the Targaryen Crownlands had been outlined.

The Crownlands had absorbed several castles and territories from neighboring regions—Stormlands, the Reach, the Westerlands, the Riverlands, and the Vale. Now, aside from the North, the Crownlands were the largest region in Westeros.

Had the North bordered the Crownlands, Aegon might've carved out a piece for fairness' sake.

Key castles bordering the Crownlands included:

From the Stormlands: Grassy Vale, Kingswood, Sharp Point, and Massey's Hook.

From the Reach: Bitterbridge and Highgarden (as an enclave).

From the Westerlands: Golden Tooth.

From the Riverlands: Stone Sept, Pinkmaiden Castle, Acorn Hall, High Heart, and Harrenhal.

From the Vale: Bloody Gate.

Among these, Aegon had taken the most from the Riverlands.

That was because, at the time, the Riverlands had no ruling lord. No one had the authority to stop Aegon's expansion.

The Houses Tully and Frey were still competing for the title of Lord of the Riverlands, so neither dared to offend Aegon, fearing he might grant the title to their rival.

The families of Sharp Point and Massey's Hook in the Stormlands had been loyal supporters of the Targaryens from the very beginning, and now, at last, they had formally become part of the Crownlands.

The Westerlands were punished with the confiscation of a major gold mine—Golden Tooth.

In the Vale, Bloody Gate had already been taken by Queen Rhaenys, who showed no intention of withdrawing her forces. Given that the Vale had resisted the royal navy and inflicted heavy losses, Bloody Gate was deemed a fitting punishment and was thus annexed into the Crownlands.

Aegon suspected that his sister Rhaenys had sensed the growing threat posed by their elder sister, Visenya.

Visenya held numerous direct vassals in Crackclaw Point and was highly capable both in military and political affairs. During the Great Council, many lords had openly shown her their favor.

To these lords, there was only one throne—but two queens. And judging by the internal dynamics of the Targaryen royal family, it was clear that Visenya's future children had a far better chance of inheriting Aegon's crown.

Visenya was striking and fearless, passionate and resolute, with a commanding presence. Her charisma was undeniable—even in a world where most of the lords were men, they couldn't help but admire her strength.

All of this left Rhaenys feeling deeply unsettled. Her only way of countering her sister was by clinging more closely to Aegon—pestering him to fulfill his husbandly duties more often. She was even willing to share his bed with Lady Raedelle if it meant staying close to him.

...

Just then, the Head of House Caswell approached and knelt before Aegon with proper deference, offering respectful greetings to both queens as well. He was well-versed in courtly manners and made a solid first impression on Aegon.

At his warm invitation, Aegon and his sisters accompanied him to his family castle.

The stronghold, made of stone and timber, stood not far from Bitterbridge. Calling it a fortress might have been generous—it looked more like a mound of stone and dirt. It was, without doubt, the shabbiest noble fortress Aegon had ever seen, in even worse shape than the temporary Aegonfort he'd built in King's Landing.

Rhaenys entered the place reluctantly, clearly displeased, while Visenya was gracious and unfazed. At the entrance, she casually took a piece of bread from a tray held by three royal family members—daughters of the Head of House Caswell—dipped it in salt, and tasted it.

This simple act filled the lord with joy, and he welcomed the royal guests with even greater warmth.

In Westeros, once a guest accepts bread and salt under a host's roof, the guest right is invoked—binding both sides to peace for the duration of the visit.

To violate this sacred tradition is to offend both the Old Gods and the New.

Guest right is an ancient Westerosi custom passed down through the ages, a sacred law upheld throughout the Seven Kingdoms, which pride themselves on their hospitality.

Aegon also smiled and took a piece of bread, dipping it in salt—not to eat, but simply as a gesture. It was always better to be cautious. For the two days they spent at the earthen castle, Aegon had his attendants taste every meal before he touched it himself.

It wasn't that Aegon was unapproachable, but with the kingdom newly founded, a little caution was only prudent.

...

Over those two days, the contrast between the two queens became even more apparent.

Visenya, despite the heavy snow, never once skipped her sword drills. It was a discipline she had kept for more than a decade and would not abandon, no matter the weather.

Rhaenys, on the other hand, spent nearly every moment with Aegon. They played together in the snow, went ice fishing along the Mander, and Aegon would often invite her for wild, passionate bouts out in the open—and Rhaenys never turned him down.

The personalities and habits of the royal trio didn't go unnoticed. Commoners and nobles alike observed and remembered, passing stories from one to another. After all, this was the first time Valyrian dragons had ever appeared in Westeros, and everyone was eager to learn more about the new king and the character of his royal household.

As news spread that the three royals were staying temporarily in Bitterbridge, nearby nobles began to arrive from their respective strongholds.

The founding celebration of the Targaryen dynasty was still fresh in memory; though the lords had only just returned to their lands, their curiosity and reverence for the new royal family drove them to bring their families to Bitterbridge for a glimpse of the Valyrian dragons.

Head of House Caswell proved himself an astute and loyal bannerman. He dispatched a small force to clear the surrounding area of beggars, mercenaries, and vagrants. Even visiting nobles had to wait—he first sought King Aegon's permission before allowing them to pay their respects.

Aegon took note of all of it.

This centaur-sigiled family was indeed clever and alert, without the polished pretentiousness of someone like Harlan Tyrell. They had truly earned Aegon's favor.

After three days at the Caswell family's earthen castle, the royal fleet finally arrived.

As Aegon and his sisters boarded the ship, he suddenly paused.

Standing on the deck, he looked back toward the earthen stronghold. The sheep pen beside the centaur-bannered fortress was now completely empty—over a hundred sheep had ended up in the bellies of the three giant dragons.

This already impoverished land had poured out nearly all its wealth and provisions just to host their king. It was easy to imagine how harsh the coming winter would be for the Centaur family's domain.

Aegon stood at the bow, watching the nobles gathered on the riverbank to see them off. For the first time, he truly felt the simplicity and sincerity of the people of Westeros.

In the dead of winter, that small gesture of warmth quietly seeped into his heart.

Aegon called out loudly to the Centaur clan's lord, "What's your name?"

Even after spending three days in the man's hall with both queens, Aegon had never managed to remember his name.

Not even the house name the man had introduced himself with stuck in his memory—only the sigil: a centaur. For the past few days, Aegon had addressed him that way. Yet the Centaur lord had never taken offense and continued to serve the royal guests with genuine devotion.

The lord of the Centaur house dropped to his knees in the snow and shouted with all his strength to the ship growing smaller on the river, "Your Grace! My name is Baen Caswell!"

But the ship had already drifted far downriver, and Baen couldn't tell whether Aegon had heard him or not.

...

Aboard the royal vessel, Aegon turned and waved to Orys, his Lord Commander and head of the royal guard.

"Your Grace, I'm here. What do you need?" Orys asked respectfully.

Aegon said, "Transfer the noble who answered me just now into the royal guard. The kingdom is newly formed, and I plan to establish a City Watch to maintain order in Harrenhal and King's Landing. That man is quick-witted—he's got potential.

Look into his background. If nothing serious comes up, appoint him Commander of the City Watch."

"I'll see to it at once," Orys nodded, then asked, "Your Grace, which house is he from? What's his name?"

Aegon fell silent for a moment. Truth be told, he hadn't clearly heard the man's name or house.

"The Centaur lord," Aegon replied.

...

[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]

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