Chapter 58: Seeking the Dragon Prince
Rhaegar led his retinue away from Gulltown, and everyone followed Lord Jon Arryn to the Eyrie.
Lord Jon disliked sightseeing. After leaving the Eyrie, he did not take Rhaegar to visit other lords' cities. Rhaegar felt he was like a proud mountain eagle.
However, Rhaegar had an urgent mission. After it was done, he could leisurely travel through the Vale.
The Mountains of the Moon!
Nettles! Sheepstealer, the wild dragon! Perhaps they are all dead. I hope some useful clues remain.
The Mountains of the Moon, like a city wall, protected the most vital parts of the Vale.
The crescent falcon banner and the red dragon on black banner fluttered in the wind along the roads of the Vale. Villagers and minor lords made way and saluted the procession.
Crossing wheat fields, seeing wildflowers, green grass, and villages, Rhaegar and Lord Jon arrived at the Gates of the Moon together.
The Gates of the Moon lie at the foot of the Giant's Lance. They have a moat, guardrooms, and square towers within.
Above them are the Stone Castle, the Snow Castle, and the Sky Castle, and only then comes the Eyrie.
The Eyrie, in its narrow sense, is small, but in its broader sense, it has five layers of protection, making it a formidable and impregnable fortress.
"This is our Eyrie. For bustle and prosperity, the Eyrie is inferior to other cities. But for steepness and grandeur, the Eyrie is unique. The Eyrie is impregnable!" Lord Jon proudly pointed Rhaegar toward the towering peaks. At a great height, there was a glimmering white light, and looking far into the sky, one could faintly see a white tower. That was the Eyrie, soaring high with the eagles.
Rhaegar smiled and did not refute him. The Eyrie was naturally beyond human reach; House Targaryen had only conquered it with the help of dragons.
The Eyrie is high and perilous, unable to accommodate too many people. Every winter, House Arryn descends to the Gates of the Moon, their winter seat, and the heir customarily serves as Keeper of the Gates of the Moon.
Outside the moat of the Gates of the Moon, a blond youth led a group of people to welcome Lord Jon and Prince Rhaegar. The youth had blond hair, blue eyes, and an aquiline nose, and was slightly older than Rhaegar.
"Welcome home, Uncle.
"And welcome to you, Prince Rhaegar." The youth's blue eyes held a faint sorrow, but it did not diminish his handsomeness.
Rhaegar knew who the youth was: Elbert Arryn, the son of Lord Jon's brother, once first in line to inherit the Vale, and now the Keeper of the Gates of the Moon.
However, with the birth of Lord Jon's own son, Elbert had fallen into an awkward position. The post of Keeper of the Gates of the Moon was precarious, and the fallen heir's situation was dangerous.
"You've done very well," Lord Jon said with a kind smile, but Elbert looked even more uneasy.
Rhaegar watched the two of them. The shift in power had already created a huge rift between uncle and nephew. Lord Jon had, with swift action, purged several of Elbert's overly enthusiastic supporters. Even if Elbert was naive, he understood what that meant. Power always forces people to mature early.
The surrounding knights of the Vale kept cold expressions; they were loyal only to Lord Arryn.
"Enter the castle!" Lord Jon raised his hand, and drums sounded. Everyone flowed into the Gates of the Moon.
Rhaegar's guards stood out the most. The Gates of the Moon rarely saw such liveliness.
The weather had not fully warmed yet, which was perfect for training the guards and convenient for sweeping through the Mountains of the Moon.
Such a large force required training and supplies, which also placed pressure on the Gates of the Moon.
After deliberation, Rhaegar borrowed a temporary camp from Lord Arryn. Not far from the Gates of the Moon, at the foot of the Giant's Lance, Rhaegar and his guards began constructing temporary barracks.
Black banners with red dragons, and symmetrical banners of red eagles on black fields, fluttered as the men worked enthusiastically.
The Vale had abundant timber, and Rhaegar's guards were all capable.
Spruce, pine, and black mountain stone were excellent materials.
The guards were Rhaegar's initial investment; he did not need to worry much about their pay.
This was one of the benefits of recruiting noble scions: they already possessed resources. The drawback was their family ties and lack of full independence. For now, attracting early supporters was sufficient.
Many guards sent letters to their fathers and brothers in Gulltown. Tents, stone, swords, quality armor, and provisions were soon transported.
Rhaegar led them in building the camp—erecting houses, fencing the perimeter, clearing fields, finding water sources, and constructing training grounds, stables, and kitchens.
Cesar coordinated the guards' specialties. Those from merchant families dealing in grain became quartermasters. Sons of craftsmen oversaw construction. Impoverished but strong second sons were assigned to the assault teams.
Rhaegar handled everything personally.
Eating and living together, the guards quickly hardened, enduring labor and hardship.
Rhaegar led infrastructure work, arranged instructors to train everyone, and in leisure time hunted with the guards and falcons. Life was surprisingly pleasant.
Drawing bows like the wind and riding horses like dragons, amid the pastoral scenery of the Vale, Rhaegar found himself slowly forgetting his original mission.
Lord Jon occasionally inspected the camp and realized the Prince was not playing at war; this was a genuine military force taking shape.
Rhaegar organized tug-of-war competitions and physical drills. The guards strained, sweated, and competed fiercely, their strength growing daily.
But Rhaegar had not yet told them where their accumulated passion would be unleashed.
Lord Jon summoned Rhaegar to his chambers.
"Are you planning to wage war against the Mountain Clans of the Vale?" Lord Jon asked, his tone grave.
"Yes," Rhaegar replied without hesitation.
Lord Jon inhaled sharply and glared at Ser Barristan, Cesar, Ser Brynden, and the others. "The Prince is mad, and you are all mad. War is no child's game. Those clansmen are savage, ruthless, and difficult to destroy. The Prince is still young."
They fell silent. Rhaegar had already persuaded them.
Ser Barristan and Ser Brynden sought honor and were sworn to protect the Prince. Cesar was both mentor and companion.
"Bloodraven was already on the battlefield at eleven," Rhaegar said calmly, "and Ser Tygett Lannister was the same. Why should I be any different?"
"The tales of Nettles and Sheepstealer may not even be true," Lord Jon pressed. "And Nettles was of low birth—what treasure could justify such risk?"
"If there truly is something hidden in the Mountains of the Moon," Rhaegar replied, "I would regret missing it for the rest of my life."
Once the snows melted and the mountain paths opened, his dragon hunt would begin.
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