Chapter 120: The Uncrowned King
At the camp outside Oldtown, Grand Maester Orwyle tried ice packs and medicine, exhausting every conceivable method to reduce Jaehaerys's high fever, but to no avail. The child was already delirious with fever, his small body lying limply on the bed. Helaena sat anxiously outside the tent, peeking in occasionally. Draezel, however, looked at the child in the tent with pity. He could tell that the child's blood seemed to be burning, which didn't resemble a disease, and boiling blood disease was not Jaehaerys's symptom.
"The child has a Dragon, if I recall correctly." Draezel recalled carefully, remembering that Helaena's twin children both seemed to have hatched companion Dragons. Helaena nodded: "Jaehaerys was very weak when he was born, especially with six fingers and toes." At this point, Helaena couldn't help but wipe the corners of her eyes. "He almost died at birth; if Sunfyre hadn't successfully hatched, he probably wouldn't be alive today."
Draezel looked at the child in the tent in confusion. Did the Dragon's hatching bring health to a deformed child who should have died? Had House Targaryen's Dragon egg hatching technique degenerated to this extent? To rely on the resonance and fusion of Dragon eggs with family members' bloodlines to hatch Dragon eggs, this indeed can succeed, but it also means that if the Dragon dies, its companion will also suffer major problems with the health originally gained from the Dragon's link resonance, due to the loss of the Dragon's protection.
Normal Valyrian Dragonlords rarely used this method to hatch Dragon eggs, as it meant consuming the magical energy within the family members' bloodlines. They preferred two methods: one was to use the massive magical elements of the Fourteen Flames to aid in the Dragon egg's hatching; the other was to use a special ritual to activate the child's bloodline power at birth, creating resonance, and then hatching the Dragon even when magical energy was not abundant. Dragon eggs hatched this way would have a closer connection with the child, but there wouldn't be an overly close, mutually destructive relationship between the Dragon and rider. It was a more complex version of the companion Dragon hatching mode.
House Varezes currently used this mode, constructing a Dragon egg hatching ritual site through the special structure of Dragon Nest City and the magical energy contained in the Red Mountains. This allowed them to control the number of Dragons hatched and also detect the amount of magical energy contained in the child's bloodline. Killing two birds with one stone.
House Targaryen must not find out.
"So, it's possible something happened to Sunfyre?" Draezel stroked his chin.
"I'm afraid so, Your Highness." Grand Maester Munkun walked quickly to Draezel with a grim face, taking out a letter from his sleeve. "Your Highness, a letter from King's Landing."
Draezel reached out and took the letter. The maesters at the Citadel were extremely obedient now. Brynden Caron and Alan Tarly personally led troops into the Citadel, dragging out and publicly beheading the maesters and archmaesters who had participated in the conspiracy. Furthermore, Jacaerys issued a decree in his mother's name, revoking the Citadel's right to award chains for two years, and requiring all acolytes to continue their studies for two more years to cleanse their minds of any potential poisoning by traitors.
Draezel unfolded the letter and glanced at it. He immediately closed it: "Does Jacaerys know about this?"
Grand Maester Munkun nodded: "Prince, ah, no, he should be called His Majesty now, he knows about this." The Grand Maester sighed softly: "He's in his tent now."
"Let Jacaerys cry for a while." Draezel said: "He's still a child, Queen Rhaenyra is his mother after all. When a mother dies, anyone would be sad for a long time."
The letter detailed what had happened in King's Landing: a plague outbreak in King's Landing, which had spread outwards, causing public riots. Queen Alicent had committed suicide, and the rioters had killed Sunfyre, but were ultimately suppressed by Dragons. Queen Rhaenyra also contracted the Shivers as a result and passed away after only one day and night. Before her death, Queen Rhaenyra reconfirmed her will, appointing Draezel as Jacaerys's Hand of the King, and requesting Draezel to be the adoptive father of Aegon and Viserys, and to crown Jacaerys.
According to the letter, when the Queen died, Syrax circled up and down near the Red Keep seven times in agony. The sharp wails of the topaz-colored Dragon could be heard throughout King's Landing. After the Queen was cremated, Syrax remained at the Red Keep, unwilling to leave.
Helaena seemed to sense something and looked at Draezel. "Did something happen in King's Landing?"
Draezel nodded: "I'm sorry, your mother has passed away, and so has Jaehaerys's mother... and Sunfyre."
Helaena seemed to have expected it and lowered her head: "It seems I ultimately couldn't protect my child."
Grand Maester Orwyle walked out, shaking his head: "Your Highness, I've tried everything, but I can't bring down the Prince's fever." When he said "Prince," he glanced at Draezel, and only after not being denied did he complete his diagnosis: "The Prince can't hold on much longer. If you still want to see him one last time, now is the best time."
The old Grand Maester regretfully told Helaena, who froze for a moment, then lifted her skirt and ran into her son's tent.
Soon, heart-wrenching cries came from the tent. Draezel sighed and turned to Jacaerys's tent, where Valarr was comforting Jacaerys, who was hugging him tightly and silently shedding tears. Draezel walked to the Prince's side and sat down cross-legged.
"My Lord, I don't have a mother anymore," Prince Jacaerys said with a choked voice.
Draezel didn't know what to say, because he also had no mother or father. In years of governing, he had played more of a fatherly role to Valarr and Ray, and as for his own parents, Draezel could only stroke Jacaerys's head, trying to comfort the Prince physically.
"My Lord, do you think I can become a good King?" After a very long time, Prince Jacaerys finally wiped away his tears and asked softly.
"I told you." Draezel smiled and gently flicked the Prince's forehead. "Did you forget?"
"I didn't forget." Jacaerys looked up: "I will show the people with my actions that my hair color is not the key to being a King. I can bear the weight of the crown. My Lord, will you support me?"
"Tell me your plan, Jacaerys." Draezel knew that Jacaerys must have a plan to say such words. So he looked at Jacaerys's somewhat red eyes.
"My mother forbade me from returning to King's Landing before the plague ends, so I won't return to King's Landing. My Lord, I want to ask you to join me in traveling throughout the Realm after judging the traitors' crimes at Harrenhal. I want to solve problems for the smallfolk and the nobility, and I also want everyone to quickly emerge from the shadows of war and plague and prepare for winter."
"Good child." Draezel again forgot that he was only less than ten years older than Jacaerys, "Go do it, but you have to consider it carefully. The Shivers plague has spread to the Riverlands and Stormlands, and you will be in danger."
Draezel pointed to himself. He had the protection of blood magic and feared most diseases except greyscale. Even greyscale, which could kill a Dragonlord, could be prevented and treated by him through a few more complex magical rituals.
"I've thought it through," Jacaerys said firmly.
Seeing that the mood was not quite right, Valarr didn't dare laugh out loud, but just patted Jacaerys's back vigorously: "This is how a child taught by my big brother should be. I support you."
"After the Harrenhal trial is over, you hurry back to Dragon Nest City." Draezel gave Valarr a rap on the head: "Are you really going to dump everything on your younger brother? Are you not ashamed?"
Valarr rubbed his head and stuck out his tongue slightly: "Got it, big brother. It's not a bad thing to let Ray get some exercise."
Jacaerys watched the familiar scene of the two brothers, and the sadness in his heart dissipated a little. He had more things to prepare for.
Due to the Citadel's crimes and the plague in King's Landing, the ships originally planned for King's Landing were canceled. Draezel ordered the infantry to stay behind, while the nobles, escorting the maesters from the Citadel and "escorting" the High Septons, took the cavalry and quickly advanced toward Harrenhal. He, Valarr, and Jacaerys flew to Harrenhal on Dragons.
It was large enough, suitable to be the setting for many important events.
Lord Borros Baratheon of the Stormlands was also forced to take his daughters and the Stormlands nobles north to be tried. Their crimes included allowing Lucerys to die in battle and aiding the Usurper.
Jaehaerys ultimately could not overcome the high fever. Helaena tearfully had Dreamfyre cremate her eldest son, and Jaehaera also gradually became silent after witnessing her brother being cremated by Dragonflame.
The sun rose and set, the plague slowly spread, and the nobles, bypassing villages that might be engulfed by the plague, finally arrived at Harrenhal from all directions.
In the Hall of Hundred Hearths, Vermithor coiled around the dome of the vast hall, watching the bustling crowd below. Its massive body made the magnificent tower tremble. Prince Jacaerys's Vermax lay behind him, observing the people below. Silverwing soared high in the sky, circling, occasionally landing on a tower top to rest for a while, then taking off again to patrol.
Draezel prepared a simple coronation ceremony for Jacaerys. The army currently had no crown, so he ordered House Strong's blacksmiths to create a crude crown from the sword tips of the western army and a Valyrian steel ring. After the High Septon anointed the Prince, he personally placed this "crown" on Jacaerys's head.
"To the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, King Jacaerys I Targaryen!"
People drew their longswords and placed them before them, signifying their submission.
But there was no Iron Throne here, nor was there a circum-city ceremony as when a King ascended. Theoretically, Jacaerys had not completed all the coronation steps.
Wearing the steel ring and iron sword crown, Jacaerys looked at the people below Harren the Black's throne, nodded to Draezel, signaling that the grand trial could begin.
Draezel donned his Valyrian steel armor, Dragon Knight, draped in a magnificent purple silver-dragon laurel-patterned cloak, with the Silverblood sword at his waist, coldly observing the nobles below.
"First, for the punishments. Hobert Hightower, step forward."
Hobert Hightower, dressed in ragged clothes, was dejectedly escorted by two knights to the foot of the throne.
"House Hightower's treason is proven beyond doubt. All their family's territories and titles are stripped. For the egregious crime of stealing from the royal treasury, a fine of one million six hundred fifty thousand gold dragons is imposed. As the primary culprit has already been executed, Hobert, do you wish to repay your sins with your blood, or do you wish to don the black and serve the Realm?"
Hobert gave a bitter smile: "Your Highness, though I wish to live, I would rather die in the warm South."
Draezel nodded. Cregan Stark, standing beside him, sighed and raised Ice, cleanly beheading him with one swift strike. Dozens of Night's Watch brothers in black chainmail beside him also sighed.
"Next, House Lannister." Draezel watched Lord Jason Lannister lead the western nobles to Hobert's corpse.
"The treason of the western houses is proven beyond doubt, but in consideration of their eventual surrender, therefore…"
Draezel looked at Jacaerys, signaling that this part could be spoken by the King.
After all, punishment is the King's responsibility, and personally helping up defeated enemies and making them friends is also the King's responsibility.
"Therefore, the territories of the western nobles may be retained, but the heads of each family must abdicate, don the black, and serve on the Wall. The gold mines and ports of the West will also be temporarily managed by the Royal Family, and a fine of one million gold dragons will be imposed."
"Thank you for your magnanimity." Lord Jason breathed a sigh of relief; finally, the dust had settled.
"And then you, Lord Borros." Draezel looked at Borros, who remained silent with his head bowed. "Don't worry, your crime is not severe. The Royal Family requires you to relinquish control of Nightsong, which is now assigned to my territory, as punishment for your inaction and even assisting the Usurper."
Lord Borros looked at the Dragon above his head and dared not speak, only accepting the punishment. After all, Nightsong was now in Lyn Valtygar's hands, and he couldn't take it back even if he wanted to.
"Princess Helaena Targaryen, Prince Maelor Targaryen, and Princess Jaehaera Targaryen, please step forward to receive your punishment," Draezel said.
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