NOVEL WEB Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Battle of the Gullet
130 AC
High Tide was a splendid castle, with pale stone towers similar to the Eyrie with roofs of beaten silver glimmering in the rising sun. It was the spot of my brother's and my maiming hence I wanted to claim it as recompense. I could have destroyed the castle in dragonfire should I wish it but I wanted the castle whole. The treasures of the Seasnake were too valuable to simply be fed to the flames. As I decided to annex High Tide and Spicetown into a now already massive Royal fief, a dragon attack on the town and castle was ruled out and it was decided to use the new Royal Army and Fleet that I had built over the past year.
Criston was given the honour of leading the assault whilst I flew overhead with Sunfyre roaring for a challenge from Dragonstone. I looked down to see the rowboats surging forward into the harbour of Spicetown with the burning remains of the few Velaryon ships in between. Most of the Velaryon fleet wasn't at home, most likely dealing with the Triarchy on the far side of the Gullet I assume, the timeline matches. I have a feeling that the Blacks managed to guess that the Triarchy sided with me hence their preparedness when it came to dealing with them. Also explains, the lack of Black dragons to deal with us, that is all fine, I will wait for Rhaenys and Rhaenyra to arrive.
Alas, they were not ready for me, they must have thought that the storm that interrupted our initial attack on Dragonstone sank all of our ships, they were wrong. Fortunately, Tyland knew enough about storms to divert the fleet to take shelter in Duskendale before the storm began. Most of the fleet survived unharmed and we resumed our attack. The fleet was split into two equal squadrons of forty ships. The first squadron led by Tyland, Aemond, and Daeron would attack the Hull and Castle Driftmark while the other would go and capture Spicetown and High Tide under Criston and me.
The roar of the dragons must have reached Dragonstone by now but I will let them come to me, let the Velaryon fleet and the Triarchy break themselves upon each other while Rhaenys, Rhaenyra, and Rhaena tire themselves dealing with the Triarchy. If that pesky bastard Joffrey wants to come and die, he is free to do so. I will gladly do the honours.
I have visited Spicetown once before and envied Spicetown then and I still envy it. I am stuck with an urban planner's shitfilled nightmare called King's Landing while Spicetown is a model Roman city with grids, sewers, and everything and I don't think there are any slums here like Fleabottom. It was perfect in every way, the streets were cobbled, the market stalls full of exotic goods, and its wharves crowded with ships from all over the Free Cities, I wanted this town.
I look down to see the rowboats coming ever closer to the harbour, they are met with arrows and rocks flung from catapults from battlements atop the sea wall. The towers that protect the harbour of Spicetown are bristling with scorpions and catapults. Several rowboats are struck directly capsizing them while others keep rowing forward. I look around to see that no dragons are yet approaching so I decide to deal with the pesky defenses of Spicetown.
Sunfyre roars as he dives into the sea wall. He opens his maw and with a snap of my whip, golden fire gushes out blasting away a tower with its catapults and scorpions before we start a strafing run across the length of the walls. Velaryon soldiers jump over the walls in the seas or into the streets. They scream and die as Sunfyre blasts away the towers defending the entrance to the harbour. The boom chain meant to be raised is lowered as the oxen pulling it are killed in the fires and the ropes and chains holding the boom chain to the towers break and snap in the heat causing the entire chain to drop into the water. Leaving the door open for Criston and the army furiously rowing into the harbour.
The rowboats touch land and I notice the white cloak of Criston being the first to climb over the stone quay of the harbour. He is quickly joined by the others as scores of rowboats reach the harbour landing all across the harbour, from the wooden piers to the stone quays. The few Velaryon soldiers in the harbour are cut down or they retreat while their ships and boats are abandoned. I spy a large force of Velaryon soldiers rushing to the harbour from High Tide to counter-attack, hoping to drive the invaders back into the sea before they can reform their lines.
I decide to stop that plan in its infancy, I snap my whip and Sunfyre and I fly low over the harbour and the first batch of Velaryon soldiers to rush out into the harbour are met with a fireball from Sunfyre. Cheers ring out from my soldiers, I can hear them chanting, "AEGON, AEGON, AEGON, AEGON."
My attack scared the remaining Velaryon soldiers into running away and it bought enough time for Criston to reform the lines and secure a foothold in the town. As the harbour is secured, transport cogs begin to arrive and disgorge their cargo of destriers barded for war. The bell towers of Spicetown begin to ring, the Septons warning the smallfolk to remain indoors for the battle to come. Then the Royal Army attacks.
The Velaryons did not break as I expected but rather they fought back fiercely in the streets, alleys, and soon rooftops. The extremely bloody street fighting delved into a frenzied melee before long, the numbers of the Royal Army began to tell and make the difference as the Velaryons were overwhelmed.
High Tide was the next target, sitting beautifully on a rocky island with a single causeway attaching it to the mainland. Without dragons, it would be a difficult conquest, High Tide had strong walls atop rocky ground. Plus it was high tide which meant an unsafe amphibious landing on the island or storming through the causeway. From the outer gatehouse to the inner gatehouse of the castle, there were walls connecting them with battlements and ramparts making it a corridor of death, a Zwinger. Criston would need my support for dealing with this but just as I was about to conduct an attack run on the castle, an angry roar from the east stopped me. I turned and looked to find the Red Queen flying furiously toward me.
I snapped my whip and Sunfyre turned to meet his new foe, I also took notice of the Velaryon sails on the horizon with smoke rising into the sky from further behind. Looks like the Triarchy is out of the fight. I hope they collapse after this.
Meleys unleashes a jet of flames toward me, Sunfyre rolls away before responding with a fireball, Meleys dodges it as well before continuing her course heading straight for my head. The Red Queen stretched forth her claws, her maw wide open with fires ready to blast, ready for a grappling match when at the last moment, Sunfyre evaded her claws and swerved away from her and went behind her. There is no way that I am getting into a slugging match with her.
Even as Meleys was about to make a U-turn from the failed attack, I saw my chance and I took it, with a snap of the whip I shouted, "DRACARYS" Sunfyre unleashed an unrelenting golden stream upon the Red Queen, and she was struck on the tail before she managed to veer away. Meleys screeched in pain and anger as she turned to face me once more. Once more I dodged her attacks and then I did it again and again. Every time the Red Queen came for a grappling match wherein she would crush me, I dodged and returned a stream of fire in her direction every time I found her open. Her fire blasts were dodged and I maintained my distance from her and I could see that it was getting to Rhaenys' nerves.
Meleys was faster than Sunfyre even at this old age, she was bigger even by at least a third of Sunfyre's size. I was outmatched and I knew it. Then came the roars I had been expecting, the loud and powerful roar of Vhagar split the sky and caused time to stop as both Sunfyre and Meleys stopped their dance to take notice of both the Queen of All Dragons and the Blue Queen coming to my aid.
But my euphoria was shortlived as two unfamiliar roars reached me as well, I turned back to see both Syrax and Silverwing heading towards us. Fuck, looks like we have a 3v3 in our hands. This is going to get messy.
For a minute, all dragons and their riders stay their hand to gather their wits before starting the most violent dance. Down below, the Velaryon fleet under Corlys clashes with the Royal fleet under Tyland. Then it began with Syrax unleashing a torrent of yellow fire straight at me. All six dragons clashed in a violent confrontation to decide the fate of Westeros.
Sunfyre jerked away from the flames and instead of replying with a fireball, Sunfyre charged directly like a bull to face Syrax. She was bigger but I was faster and equally formidable. Rhaenyra rose to meet the challenge head-on, and after a heartbeat, both dragons crashed into one another. Both dragons began to tear away at each other, using their claws to find purchase, jaws snapping and hissing flames. Sunfyre and Syrax pulled back before engaging once more.
The jerking that happens to a ride during a dragon dance is on another level, whatever I had to deal with Vermax and Moondancer, it was nothing compared to the slugging match with Syrax and Rhaenyra. Fireballs were released by both dragons as they began to snap and fight viciously. Then I found Rhaenyra and we shared a glace, her purple eye glaring hatefully at mine.
"USURPER," She yelled over the din of the dragons battling to the death.
"BITCH," I responded even as Sunfyre broke free from Syrax. I looked at Syrax, she had rents in her wings, and she was bleeding boiling blood that gushed out from her open wounds but still afloat, I didn't have to look at Sunfyre to know that his situation was the same. I had to do something to change the stalemate before it became a mutual kill.
I snapped my whip and Sunfyre beat his wings harder as he rose higher into the air and as expected Rhaenyra followed us, "Come and take the bait, you bitch," I muttered as I directed Sunfyre further into the clouds. Here goes nothing.
As Sunfyre entered the clouds, we began to zig-zag to throw off Rhaenyra's pursuit. I then heard a roar from Syrax, I turned back to see the roar accompanied by flashes of yellow fire as she tried to find us and make a path through the dense clouds. This was my chance. I didn't snap my whip to prevent Rhaenyra and Syrax from knowing of my position but rather I whispered to Sunfyre, "Now is our chance, boy. Let us finish this."
Sunfyre gave a quiet growl of affirmation as he twisted and turned to the source of the fire. We approached from her left and once we reached the kill zone I shouted, "TIME TO DIE, RHAENYRA! DADDY IS NOT HERE TO SAVE YOU."
Sunfyre bellowed before blasting a searing stream of golden flames straight at the confused and blindsided Syrax. The flames struck Syrax in her neck even as Rhaenyra shrieked as the heat of the fire and some of the flames reached her.
"GET HER," I shouted once more and Sunfyre lunged forward with his claws for the reeling Syrax who was not ready. Sunfyre slammed into Syrax as his claws sank in and closed around her fat neck while his claws snapped close around one of her wing bones. Syrax began to thrash around to desperately break free but it was useless as Syrax's throat was being ripped out. Her roars transformed into guttural cries of agony.
"SYRAX, BREAK OFF, BREAK OFF," Rhaenyra screamed in terror as her dragon began to convulse as she lost more and more blood. Then the wing bone around Sunfyre's jaws snapped and broke. Syrax was as good as dead. I would love to see Viserys' face.
"DAEMON IS NO LONGER HERE TO PROTECT YOU BITCH," I taunted her as I saw her frantically snap her whip trying to change what was done.
"BREAK OFF, BREAK OFF," I called out to Sunfyre this time as he opened his jaws and released Syrax's fat and bleeding neck and took off even as Syrax began to fall. With a broken wing, and a profusely bleeding neck, she was a goner but I wanted to do the coup de grâce.
I snapped my whip once more and Sunfyre began to follow the falling Syrax, "ONCE YOU REACH THE SEVEN HELLS, BE SURE TO SEND JACE MY REGARDS," I screamed to a frantic Rhaenyra who had no idea what to do when your dragon died. I then lifted my whip and I quietly uttered, "Dracarys."
Sunfyre's maw opened and an unending jet of golden flames burst forth and bathed Rhaneyra and Syrax's falling form in golden dragon fire.
It was over, it was finally over. I had killed Rhaenyra in a single dragon fight. Then a terrible roar removed me from my happiness before it could even begin. I turned around and I saw Vhagar and Meleys locked in a bloody and savage frenzy as they twisted and turned. Claws and jaws tearing away at each other with great fountains of blood rushing out of both. I knew that Meleys could face Vhagar alone in a fight but I didn't expect this. This could easily turn the other way.
I snapped my whip and Sunfyre turned his wings to face the two massive dragons viciously and ferociously killing each other. Sunfyre stretched out his talons and we descended into the bloody, twisting, turning, and firey mass of dragons. In a bone-breaking impact, Sunfyre slammed straight into Meleys' side buying time for Aemond and Vhagar to break off his attack for a respite. My single glance at them was enough for me to know that they were in bad shape.
I then turned to face Rhaenys, the Queen who never was, her black and silver tresses were burnt, her face ashen but her eyes were still defiant. "TIME FOR A REMATCH," I shouted.
She defiantly shouted back, "BRING IT ON, USURPER." Then began round two, this time we were both wounded though her dragon was far more severely wounded compared to Sunfyre. Unlike last time, Sunfyre and I did not seek to dodge, we went for the kill as Meleys and Sunfyre began to scrap to the death just as she wanted the first time but now I have the advantage and I am not letting it go.
Meleys was severely wounded in her sides and her scales were now weak and flaky due to Vhagar's fire, her wing membranes have massive holes in them. Vhagar has done three-fourths of the job, I am just going to finish it. "KILL HER," I screamed and Sunfyre began to sink his claws into Meleys' existing wounds and began to pull and tear at it. Meleys blasted a fireball at us, I ducked and shielded my face from the fire but my arm caught on fire even as I tried to put the off flames I felt pain searing into my cheek as my helmet's cheek guards began to melt. I howled in pain as my face began to burn but I did not let Sunfyre give up his hold on Meleys.
Sensing my pain, Sunfyre bellowed before he began to viciously tear into the Red Queen's wounds. Meleys shrieked in pain as we began to worsen her injuries, in return she began to bite as she tried to close her jaws around Sunfyre's neck. Sunfyre and I saw that coming a mile away, Sunfyre pulled his neck back away from Meleys' desperate maw and unleashed a ceaseless golden maelstrom upon the Red Queen's head. Meleys screams in further agony as I bathe her head in flames, she desperately tries to push Sunfyre away and escape but Sunfyre has sunk his claws into Meleys' chest, he is not going anywhere.
I finally ended the maelstrom and Sunfyre broke off from Meleys and as we retreated from her she immediately began to fall. I noticed Meleys' eyes, I unleashed dragonfire straight on them and she was now weeping blood and goo from her eyes. The Red Queen is now blind with the rents in her wings and her wounds are bleeding copiously. She was slowly losing height, she would soon crash into the water. Then a shriek was heard, I looked up to see a bleeding Silverwing fleeing the battle flapping her wings as she fled north abandoning Dragonstone, while an equally wounded Tessarion was slowly descending to the dunes of Driftmark where an injured Vhagar had already landed. I also took notice of my sigil flying over the battlements of High Tide, looks like Criston captured it.
Then a splash is heard, I looked down to see Meleys finally crash into the water, the seas were conspicuously absent of any Velaryon ships. Looks like Tyland managed to defeat Corlys, damn, the Seasnake is overrated, of course, Tyland had more ships and his men were fresh while the Velaryon sailors and oarsmen were already tired from dealing with the Triarchy. Still, it is a win, a complete win. I will take care of Rhaena later, though I have a feeling that she is dead. Rhaena would never abandon her grandmother and flee.
"Time to land, Sunfyre," I said with relief as Sunfyre growled and turned to land on the dunes. My cheek still throbbed in searing pain while my right hand was still on fire.
I wasn't so badly injured at OTL Aegon or broken and twisted from a deadly fall. Sure both my vambraces, couters, and pauldrons had melted in the heat as did one of my cheekguards that was now uncomfortably and painfully stuck to my cheek. I am now afraid of pulling it out in fear of tearing out my cheek, I need a maester to do this. The gauntlet on my right arm is almost gone and now a melted heap of metal fortunately I didn't lose any fingers for there weren't any fingers to lose. I am really lucky that I wore an extra thick padded gambeson that took most of the flames. It was more half-burnt at this point and in the areas of my hand, it was close to nonexistent but most of my flesh was spared other than the one on the cheek.
But I was the exception, my brothers were not so lucky I realized to my horror as I took one look at Vhagar, that she had multiple wounds along her entire body that were bleeding until recently when the bleeding stopped. The yellow sands had become crimson red as boiling blood seeped into it. Tessarion was another tragic story, just like how I had blinded Meleys, the same happened to Tessarion, the Blue Queen lay in agony even with gaping and bleeding holes in her neck.
"HOW THE FUCK DID THIS HAPPEN?" I demanded of the Dragonkeeper nearest me, he was an acolyte but the Elder nearby answered.
"When dragons dance this is what happens," He replied leaning on his staff. "We saw the whole fight from the beaches. It was truly a disgraceful sight for dragons to fight and kill each other."
"Spare me the sentimentality, tell me what happened to my brothers?" I snapped.
The Elder replied, "Prince Aemond is well, other than a few burns on his arms he is well. He will recover as will Vhagar. Her injuries while numerous are not life-threatening as we feared at first. Your arrival to your brother's aid certainly helped. It is only her wings for which we fear, even then I am certain that her wings will mend themselves in a year."
"And Daeron?" I asked hesitantly. The Elder had a forlorn look on his face which said everything for me. It was like a dagger to my heart.
"Prince Daeron fought two battles with Silverwing. The first with Lady Rhaena and the second after he killed Lady Rhaena." He revealed.
"I don't understand," I said puzzled even as my heart began racing desperately trying to stave off any bad news of Daeron.
"The first battle Tessarion had with Silverwing was with Lady Rhaena as her rider. He was winning that fight until a fireball from the Blue Queen killed Lady Rhaena," He continued. "Lady Rhaena was inexperienced, she was reluctant and scared of a dragon fight as any thirteen nameday old girl is. After Lady Rhaena was killed, Silverwing lost all inhibition and became wild as she viciously attacked the dragon that killed her rider. The Blue Queen was not even half the size of Alysanne's dragon, it wasn't much of a fight no matter how hard Prince Daeron tried."
"Where is my brother?" I asked with my lips quivering as I felt tears burst out of my eyes. The Dragonkeeper Elder couldn't meet my eyes.
"Aegon," Aemond's soft voice came from behind, I turned to look and I saw Aemond standing on one of the dunes. The sound of Criston and his men riding hard toward me did not register, his hands bandaged in honey-soaked linen didn't matter, his singed silver hair didn't matter, it was his lone purple eye filled with tears as he shook his head that crushed me.