Daenerys held her breath, her violet eyes unblinking, staring intently at the dragon egg within the altar's flames.
Blood and fire.
This was the method Melisandre had brought to hatch the dragon egg.
The stony dragon egg was placed in the center of a complex magic circle drawn with fresh blood, surrounded by firewood soaked in oil.
The flames rose up, licking the greenish-gray shell with a crackling sound.
But unlike ordinary fire, when these flames touched the runes drawn in blood, they seemed guided by an invisible force; the color became deeper, the temperature soared, and they emitted an eerie red light.
Even more bizarrely, the flames did not seem to be merely burning on the outside, but were greedily "sucked" in by the stone egg, the patterns on the shell lighting up faintly like blood vessels, flickering in and out.
Time passed slowly in suffocating anticipation.
The fire on the altar gradually weakened, until finally only a pile of glowing dark red embers remained.
And as for that greenish-gray dragon egg, the stone texture on its surface seemed to come alive, with a faint luster flowing over it.
Finally, at the moment Daenerys was almost about to give up hope, a clear crack appeared at the top of the eggshell.
Crack, crack...
The cracks spread like a spiderweb.
Immediately after, a small piece of the shell was pushed open from the inside, and a wet little head covered in pale green scales poked out with some effort.
It let out a tiny but vital hiss and opened its eyes, innocently reflecting the dancing firelight and Daenerys's face full of surprise and joy.
"It worked..." Daenerys murmured softly, her eyes bursting with uncontrollable joy.
She carefully reached out her hand, and the pale green hatchling seemed to sense the kindred aura from her; it did not resist, but instead rubbed its little head against her finger.
The tiny scales felt cool and soft.
Standing to the side, the red priestess Melisandre's beautiful face appeared profound in the dim light.
She watched the hatchling emerge from its shell, her tight shoulders relaxing almost imperceptibly as she let out a soft sigh.
Ever since Melisandre arrived in the Narrow Sea Realm, following that unpleasant conversation with Arianne, Daenerys had devoted all her energy to researching the hatching of dragon eggs with her.
Large quantities of blood obtained through payment and several failed attempts had consumed countless gold coins and energy, but now, the results were finally visible.
"It seems the method is indeed correct," Melisandre spoke.
"The ritual to awaken the dragon from stone is not complicated; the key lies in a sufficient amount of lifeblood, as well as the specific incantations and magic circles to guide the energy within the flames."
She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over the pale green hatchling that was struggling to break free from the constraints of the eggshell.
"Later, I will transcribe the complete incantations and ritual points for you, Princess."
Daenerys was focused on observing the newborn dragon, but looked up upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"You are leaving?"
"Indeed," Melisandre nodded.
"The reincarnation of Azor Ahai needs his witch's assistance. Since the important business here is finished, I must return to Prince Aegon's side as soon as possible."
"The revival of the dragon from stone further confirms the prophecy. The Son of Light has come into the world, the Long Night is coming, and time... is perhaps more pressing than we imagined."
Complex emotions welled up in Daenerys's heart.
Melisandre's arrival had brought hope for hatching dragons, but her near-fanatical certainty and loyalty to Aegon always made Daenerys feel a hint of unease.
However, the woman had indeed helped her solve the mystery of the dragon eggs.
"I understand," Daenerys nodded, suppressing that sliver of doubt. "Thank you for your help, Lady Melisandre. I wish you a safe journey."
"May the lord of light guide your path, Princess." Melisandre curtsied slightly, her red robes trailing on the ground as she turned to leave.
To her, the birth of the dragon from stone was certainly astonishing, but more importantly, it further confirmed that the one she followed was indeed the savior of the prophecy, who would wield Lightbringer to fight against the Eternal Night.
This time, she would never let fate slip through her fingers.
Daenerys watched her leave, and then her attention was again drawn to the new life in her hands.
She carefully cradled the pale green hatchling in her palm, feeling the warmth coming from its tiny body.
"Scree—"
"Wu—"
Discontented low growls came from the corner of the room.
Daenerys looked up and saw her three dragons—Balerion, Meraxes, and Vhagar—crouched side by side.
After this period of growth, they had grown from the size of small calves to that of adult cattle or horses.
At this moment, three pairs of vertical pupils were all staring at the new member in her palm, letting out hisses filled with obvious jealousy and warning, as if accusing their mother of having her attention stolen by this little thing.
Daenerys couldn't help but smile.
She handed the pale green hatchling to her maid Mia, who had been standing quietly by her side, then stood up and walked to the three dragons, stroking their reaching necks one by one.
The texture of the fine scales was warm and smooth.
"Alright, alright, I won't forget you," she soothed softly, her fingertip scratching the softest scales under Balerion's chin. The black dragon squinted its eyes comfortably and made a purring sound.
Seeing this, Meraxes and Vhagar also scrambled to nudge their heads forward, seeking affection.
After soothing the jealous dragons, Daenerys turned to Mia and asked:
"How much longer until enough blood is collected for the next time?"
Mia held the restlessly squirming pale green hatchling steadily, made an estimation, and replied:
"Princess, it shouldn't take too long."
"We exchange gold coins for blood, and many people struggling for a living are very willing to participate. Only..."
She hesitated for a moment, "Frequent collection, though voluntary, requires discretion to avoid causing panic or dissatisfaction among the common people."
Daenerys nodded thoughtfully, "I understand. Control the collection volume and the rewards, ensure it's voluntary, and do not force anyone."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Take good care of it." Daenerys took one last look at the pale green hatchling in Mia's arms, then left the secret chamber with the three dragons following closely at her heels.
Mia bowed in response and began to skillfully clean the remaining mucus and eggshell fragments from the hatchling.
...
Guards from the Princes Residence and elites drawn from the Three Cities Garrison now formed a small escort, guarding Daenerys as she passed through the bustling streets toward the Perfume Garden.
This former pleasure garden for nobles was now the place where Viserys was kept under house arrest.
Most of the original servants were retained to take care of the daily life of this maddened former "king."
Daenerys found Viserys on a terrace.
He was dressed in a clean robe, with exquisite pastries and fruit set before him; materially, there was nothing to find fault with.
However, his eyes were unfocused, his face wore an unnatural flush, and he was waving an empty wine bottle, losing his temper at a maid who was trying to dissuade him.
"...Wine! Bring me wine! I am a true dragon! I am the king! You peasants, how dare you defy me!" he shouted slurringly, his figure swaying.
The maid's face turned pale with fear, and she backed away repeatedly, nearly bumping into the approaching Daenerys.
"Brother." Daenerys stepped forward, shielding the maid, and spoke calmly, "Do not make things difficult for her."
Viserys's movements paused, his blurred, drunken eyes looking at Daenerys. Within those pale purple eyes so similar to hers, a brief flash of a complex, indefinable emotion appeared.
Was it resentment? Was it shame? Or was it the last remnant of family affection, numbed by alcohol?
That emotion was quickly swallowed by chaos again. He turned his head away, muttering something, and wobbled back into his carved chair.
Daenerys waved for the terrified maid to withdraw and sat down opposite Viserys.
The sunlight danced on her silver-gold hair through the vine-covered pergola.
"I have found a way to hatch the dragon eggs, brother," she said, her voice steady.
Viserys's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. Although he still kept his head turned away, his ears clearly perked up.
Dragons held a fatal attraction for any Targaryen, even a deranged one.
Daenerys took out a small, crystal-clear glass bottle, placed it on the round table covered with a linen cloth, and pushed it gently across.
The bottle was filled with a dark red, viscous liquid that reflected an eerie luster in the sunlight.
"Blood, brother, the fire of life." Daenerys watched his profile. "I can teach you. You can have your own dragon too, awakening it from stone."
Viserys snapped his head back, staring intently at the bottle of blood, his breathing becoming heavy.
He opened his mouth, a gurgling sound coming from his throat, and finally only managed to squeeze out one hoarse word: "I..."
What did he want to say? Acceptance? Gratitude? Or doubt?
Suddenly, his bloodshot eyes were again occupied by a chaotic fear. He abruptly clutched his head and curled up, his voice trembling: "Blood... so much blood... I see it... everywhere..."
Daenerys frowned slightly, thinking he had fallen back into his usual mad delusions.
Her brother was always like this, sometimes lucid, sometimes confused, often rambling about someone wanting to assassinate them, having suffered enough fright and torment during their years in exile.
"I dreamed of... Lys, Tyrosh, Myr... every brick and stone, every street, flooded with blood..."
"Slaves in shackles are revolting, Soldiers are brandishing swords, merchants are running with gold coins... chaos... everywhere is chaos and blood..."
Viserys spoke incoherently, his body shaking violently, as if he were personally witnessing some horrific scene.
Daenerys sighed inwardly and stepped forward to gently pat his trembling shoulder. "It's alright, brother, it's just a dream."
"You are safe here. No one can hurt you."
She took out another small bottle containing some soothing herbal powder and signaled for a nearby servant to come over. "Mix some warm water for the Prince to take, and let him rest well."
"I will come to see you again and teach you how to awaken the dragon."
Daenerys took one last look at Viserys, who was immersed in his own nightmare and muttering to himself, then turned and left the terrace.
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